News

MAKUENI FARMERS SET TO LEARN THROUGH DEMO PLOTS

The County Department of Agriculture on Monday held a sensitization forum for extension officers on the establishment and management of Ward Agriculture Demonstration Plots.

The one-day training focused on step-by-step guidance in key value chain sectors—apiculture, mango, poultry, tomato and dairy—aimed at equipping officers to better guide farmers on improved farming practices.

Speaking during the session, CECM Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development, Liz Muli, emphasized the importance of standardized procedures, clear timelines, and defined responsibilities in setting up demo plots.

“These demonstration sites will serve as practical classrooms where farmers can learn hands-on modern farming methods,” she noted.

The project will set up demonstration farms in every ward across the county, totalling 120 demos: 26 in apiculture, 22 in dairy, 24 in mango, 29 in poultry and 19 in tomato.

Funded by National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project, the initiative aims to promotes efficiency, accountability and transparency while strengthening knowledge transfer to farmers.

Once fully implemented, the program will enhance food security, create employment and economically empower farming households across the county.

COMMUNITY HEALTH PROMOTERS TRAINED ON COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO ENHANCE DEAF COMMUNITY ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES

Community health promoters have completed a five-day intensive training on basic communication skills designed to improve access to health information and services for the deaf community.

The program, conducted in collaboration with key partners, was a major step toward enhancing inclusivity in healthcare and advancing the goal of Universal Health Coverage.

According to the county’s Department of Preventive and Promotive Health, the training equips promoters with the skills to deliver services that are not only accessible to the deaf but also respectful of their language and culture.

RELIEF FOR KASIKEU RESIDENTS AS LUMU BOREHOLE BRINGS SAFE WATER TO THOUSANDS

Over 2,000 residents of Lumu and Kalimbini in Kasikeu Ward now have access to safe and clean water, thanks to a partnership between the Makueni County Government and WHH.

For years, the residents endured severe water shortages due to the inadequacies of the Nolturesh water supply. Today, they enjoy reliable access to fresh water from the newly completed Lumu borehole, which now serves the community at the last mile.

Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili, accompanied by Water ECM John Kieti, area MCA Reuben Nzai, and WHH officials, commissioned the project on Thursday. The borehole project features six kiosks fitted with digital meters to promote transparency in governance and reduce non-revenue water losses.

The initiative is part of a broader partnership between WHH and the County Government of Makueni to enhance water distribution from high-yielding sources, advancing the Last Mile Water Connectivity agenda championed by Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.

MANGO FARMERS GET TIPS TO SAVE MANGO YIELDS

Mango farmers in Makueni are facing hurdles that threaten their harvests, especially during flowering and fruiting.

Flower and fruit abortion, blights, mildews and pests such as thrips, mites, mango weevil, mealybugs and fruit flies have been major setbacks.

On Wednesday, farmers in Mavindini ward attended a training session on how to manage these challenges.

Experts from Greenlife Company guided them on using fungicides with azoxystrobin and difenconazole to control blights and mildews, while pesticides with thiomexam and labdacyalothrin were recommended to fight off pests.

Additionally, to reduce flower and fruit abortion, farmers were urged to spray foliar fertilizers rich in Zinc and Boron. They were also encouraged to adopt irrigation methods to ensure their mangoes reach the market at the right time.

The session, attended by Livestock and Cooperative Development Chief Officer Japheth Kiminza, Mavindini MCA Jonathan Kimongo, Mango exporters and financial institutions, is a timely intervention during the mango flowering season.

The sensitization is expected to boost farmer knowledge and improve mango harvests across the county.

MAKUENI STEPS UP CAMPAIGN TO DEBUNK VACCINE MYTHS, BOOST IMMUNIZATION

The County Government of Makueni, in partnership with the National Vaccines and Immunization Program, on Wednesday hosted a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Wote to push back against vaccine misconceptions and rally support for routine immunization.

These forums are part of our social advocacy efforts for immunization. They are critical in raising awareness about the benefits of vaccines while addressing hesitancy through effective communication and strong community engagement.

Dr. Mwatha noted that the ultimate goal is to boost vaccine uptake across the county by building public confidence, fostering community ownership, and instilling a sense of responsibility in protecting children and families from preventable diseases.

MAKUENI STRIKING NURSES SIGN RETURN-TO-WORK DEAL

The Makueni County Government on Wednesday reached a breakthrough with striking nurses and midwives after signing a return-to-work formula, ending weeks of a nationwide industrial standoff that began on August 8.

The agreement was sealed at the County premises in Wote, with officials from the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM), County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health Joyce Mutua, Public Service Board Chair Dr. Nicodemus Muteti and Health Services Chief Officer Dr. Harvey Mulei in attendance.

Addressing the press after the signing, Makueni KNUNM Chapter Chair Damiano Muriuki urged all striking nurses and midwives to report back to their stations immediately.

He appreciated governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr for converting all nurses who were on contract to permanent and pensionable terms.

Muriuki emphasized that the industrial action was driven by demands for improved welfare, including securing permanent and pensionable terms for nurses employed under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program.

On her part, CECM Mutua reassured the union of the county’s commitment, pledging to fast-track implementation of key resolutions agreed upon in the deal.

The return-to-work formula now sets the stage for normalcy in Makueni’s health facilities, restoring critical services that had been disrupted for nearly two weeks.

MAKUENI RALLIES PARTNERS TO BOOST MATERNAL AND CHILD NUTRITION.

County Health Management Team has joined hands with agriculture department’s representatives in Wote for a two- day high-level co-creation forum aimed at charting a work plan for Helen Keller International (HKI)-supported nutrition programs.

The county is benefiting from a grant-funded consortium bringing together three global public health nonprofits, Helen Keller International, Vitamin Angels, and IDE with the shared mission of improving nutrition among underserved pregnant women, infants, and young children in Makueni.

According to the Helen Keller International team, the initiative seeks to transform lives by strengthening maternal and child health through proven nutrition interventions while reinforcing food and health systems.

The approach deliberately places women and children at the center of the county’s development agenda.

The consortium will focus on both nutrition-specific interventions such as vitamin A supplementation, deworming, breastfeeding promotion, infant and young child feeding, and screening and treatment of acute malnutrition as well as nutrition-sensitive strategies, which include boosting agricultural production, enhancing supply chains, supporting small market enterprises, and improving hygiene.

Through this partnership, Makueni hopes to create an enabling environment for scaling up multiple micronutrient supplements, increasing the number of mothers and children accessing iron and folate supplements, expanding exclusive breastfeeding coverage, and widening access to vitamin A supplementation and deworming.

The initiative also aims to ensure that households within the critical first 1,000 days of life have both physical and economic access to nutritious diets.

Speaking during the forum, Dr. Stephen Mwatha, Ag Director of Preventive and Promotive Health Services, acknowledged the county’s nutrition challenges but expressed optimism that the partnership would go a long way in addressing them.

GOVERNOR MUTULA LEADS PUSH FOR CORRUPTION-FREE MAKUENI

Makueni is making strategic strides towards entrenching its name as the least corrupt county in Kenya, anchored on high levels of transparency and accountability.

On Tuesday, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. hosted a delegation of top-ranking EACC officials led by Commissioner Alfred Mshimba, alongside representatives from GIZ led by Judy Oduma, for discussions focused on strengthening corruption prevention and enhancing performance management.

At the center of the agenda was the establishment of a County Corruption Prevention Committee, in line with guidelines issued by the EACC in 2023.

The committee will, among other responsibilities, develop a framework to mainstream corruption prevention in public service, reduce the prevalence of corruption, enhance transparency and accountability, and build a positive organizational culture.

Governor Mutula lauded the EACC–GIZ partnership, which emphasizes corruption prevention through systematic approaches as opposed to prosecution-only mechanisms.

MAKUENI COUNTY PARTNERS WITH VITAMIN ANGELS TO FIGHT MALNUTRITION AND TEEN PREGNANCIES.

Makueni County has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Africa Vitamin Angels, a global nonprofit health organization, to introduce Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) aimed at combating malnutrition among women and children.

Through this new partnership, Makueni becomes the first county in Kenya to pilot the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended MMS program, targeting micronutrient deficiencies in pregnant women.

The initiative will take an implementation science approach, enabling the county’s technical working group, in collaboration with Vitamin Angels, to generate local data and strategies for scaling the program effectively.

Dr. Lucy Kanya, Senior Regional Technical Director at Vitamin Angels, applauded Makueni’s proactive approach, calling the partnership a significant step forward in maternal and child health.

She also reaffirmed Vitamin Angels’ commitment to addressing adolescent pregnancy, a major contributor to premature births.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr., who presided over the MoU signing, hailed the initiative as a “God-sent opportunity,” especially as anaemia rates in the county remain high at 47%.

He urged both Vitamin Angels and other stakeholders to prioritize efforts to reduce teenage pregnancies, which he described as a “silent national pandemic.”

Vitamin Angels

81 MAKUENI STUDENTS GET UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS

Eighty-one students from Makueni County who sat the 2024 KCSE examinations have secured full scholarships from the county government to pursue studies in universities of their choice. Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr. on Monday presided over their orientation ceremony.

The governor congratulated the beneficiaries for their exemplary performance and urged them to embrace dedication and determination as they begin their higher education journey. He assured them of the County’s full support, noting that education remained central to transforming livelihoods and households.

Since its inception, the Makueni County Scholarship Programme has supported 758 learners. Currently, 295 are in secondary schools while 217 are in various universities across the country. The initiative targets bright students from disadvantaged backgrounds who would otherwise have missed out on higher education opportunities.

The Governor reminded the students to uphold discipline, remain focused, and represent their families, communities, and the county with pride. He challenged them to keep the flag of Makueni high and to become problem-solvers in society through their academic and professional pursuits.