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MAKUENI LEADS PROCESSION MATCHES DURING THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE KENYA INTER-COUNTY SPORTS ASSOCIATION (KYISA) GAMES AT PWANI UNIVERSITY ON MONDAY

Makueni leads procession matches during the official opening of the Kenya Inter-county Sports Association (KYISA) Games at Pwani University on Monday.

County Executive Committee Member for Sports Eng. Peter Mumo led the Makueni team.

Makueni is the defending champion in Ladies Football and Men Basketball.

Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro presided over the opening ceremony

#kyisakilifi2024

#NurturingTalent

Makueni Leaders pay Moving Tribute to Fallen Former President Moi

A section of Makueni leaders led by governor Kivutha Kibwana, County Commissioner Maalim Mohammed, assembly speaker Douglas Mbilu and former KANU minister Peter Maundu led citizens of Makueni in paying their tribute to fallen former president Daniel Moi Thursday.

Speaker after speaker eulogized Moi as a patriotic leader who unified the country through his clarion call of Peace, Love and Unity despite the ferocious clamour for constitutional reforms for most part of his presidency.

“I may not have had a good relationship with the former president due to my leadership of the pro-reform movement which roughed the former president the wrong way. I must however commend him for the inclusivity in leadership of his government.” Said Kibwana.

“Moi is credited for laying a firm foundation for education in Kenya. The proliferation of Universities in the country was driven by Moi, who as a teacher saw the need for an educated generation,” the governor said further.

Kibwana said Moi’s executive power was felt across the country because he appointed ministers and their assistants from every corner of the country. He said this was the reason the former president was able to rule for 24 years.

The Makueni governor also applauded Moi for overseeing a smooth transition of power in 2002, when he would have used the state machinery to rig in his preferred successor.

According to Kibwana, the only thing he regrets is not getting an opportunity to sit with the former president and speaking one-on-one about the issues he and his pro-reform cohorts were fighting for.

“I wish I had an opportunity to sit with him and to tell him that the ‘Fimbo ya Nyayo’ was hard on us but we had to do what we did for the good of Kenya. I also would have told him I hold no grudges against him for the suffering we and our families went through,” said the governor.

Mr. Maundu who served as an assistant minister in the office of the president and a KANU elected MP for Makueni termed the former president as a person who loved young people and propelled many into leadership.
“He was simply a mentor to the youth. Many of us were trusted with high leadership positions as assistant ministers in our early thirties. He even allowed us to represent the country internationally and he believed in the feedback we brought,” he said.

MAKUENI LAUNCHES WATER PROJECTS IN WOTE AND MAVINDINI TO IMPROVE ACCESS AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE

County Executive Committee Member for Lands, Urban Planning & Development, Environment and Climate Change, Japheth Mang’oka, has unveiled contractors for two water enhancement projects in Wote and Mavindini.

The project in Wote involves the distribution of 100 cubic meters of water per hour from Kaiti 2 sand dam to Camarel in Wote town and Kaseve. This initiative aims to ensure the sustainable provision of water to over 3,000 residents in Wote and its environs.

In Mavindini, the contractor will construct a 100 cubic meters sump and install a 22-kilowatt solar pumping system at the Athi River intake. This project aims to provide clean water for domestic use to 2,500 households and water for irrigation to 400 households in the Katithi, Mavindini, and Ivinganzia sub-locations within Mavindini Sub-Ward.

The projects, co-funded by the county government and the World Bank under the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) program, are designed to enhance community resilience to drought and water scarcity. They also aim to build adaptive capacities to mitigate the impacts of climate change, natural hazards, and other environmental stressors.

MAKUENI LAUNCHES THE PROCESS FOR COMPREHENSIVE NUTRITION POLICY DEVELOPMENT

On Tuesday, the Department of Health Services held a stakeholder sensitization forum towards development of a county nutrition policy.

The initiative, spearheaded by Nutrition International, brought together the departments of agriculture,Office of the County Attorney,education-ECDE,Water, gender,Finance,State department of social protection, State department of Education,National Drought Management Authority among others.

The policy intends to foster multi-sectoral collaboration, streamline coordination, and establish a framework for resource mobilization as well as a framework for monitoring and evaluation .

During the forum, Dr. Paul Musila, County Executive Committee Member for Health Services, highlighted the importance of mobilizing domestic resources and documenting Makueni’s good health and nutrition practices .

MAKUENI LAUNCHES PUBLIC FORUMS FOR 2026/27 DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Makueni County has kicked off a two-day countywide public participation exercise to shape its Annual Development Plan for the 2026/27 financial year.

The forum, Which officially opened on Thursday at Wote Green Park, drew residents who shared their views with a team of officers in finance led by CECM Damaris Kavoi.

In her remarks, Kavoi noted that such strong turnouts reflect a community deeply invested in its own development, a value that Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr’s administration continues to uphold by prioritizing citizen-driven proposals in policy and project implementation.

Held in line with the Public Finance Management Act, 2012, and Article 220(2) of the Constitution of Kenya, the meetings provide an opportunity for residents to voice their priorities and guide resource allocation.

The exercise continues on Friday across multiple venues in all 30 wards of Makueni.

Makueni Launches Key Publications to Enhance Data-Driven Development and Accountability

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Wednesday launched key publications aimed at advancing data-driven decision-making and accountability.

Governor Mutula presided over the unveiling of the County Indicator Handbook for the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) 2023-2027, the sixth edition of the County Statistical Abstract (CSA-2024), and the first-ever Ward Development Profiles.

The newly launched Indicator Handbook provides a comprehensive set of metrics to assess progress on the county’s development agenda, while the CSA-2024 enhances access to critical data for informed decision-making.

The Governor also highlighted the county’s innovative Projects Monitoring and Tracking System (PMTS), a digital platform that allows stakeholders and citizens to monitor the status of county programs and projects in real time. The system, accessible via the county’s website, fosters transparency and provides a channel for public feedback.

Governor Mutula revealed that additional modules are being incorporated into the PMTS to improve its analytical capabilities and usability. “These enhancements, combined with annual data series developed in collaboration with Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), ensure that we have accurate, updated, and actionable data to guide our policies and accountability efforts,” he noted.

The Ward Development Profiles, another key publication, offer a detailed assessment of programs and projects implemented in specific wards over the past two years. Verified by the community and decentralized government staff, the profiles reflect the county’s commitment to grassroots involvement in development planning and assessment.

The Governor urged citizens to actively participate in the county’s development journey. “Development starts with local action. Together, we can build a brighter future for Makueni County.”

The event was also attended by Director Abdulkadir Amin Awes, representing the Director General of the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics; Deputy County Commissioner Rashid Kwanya, representing the County Commissioner; Makueni County Assembly Speaker Douglas Mbilu, Finance, Agriculture and Devolution CECMs Damaris Kavoi, Joyce Mutua and Nicholas Nzioka respectively.

Makueni Launches Campaign to Rescue Mango Farmers from Pests

Mango actors in the country have launched a rigorous campaign towards establishment of Fruit Fly Free Zones (FFFZ) in Makueni County.

The campaign, launched at Kwakathoka Wednesday, provides an opportunity for the various actors in the mango value chain to interact and kick off activities geared towards reduction of mango losses due to fruit fly infestation in Makueni County and in Kenya at large.

The campaign also aims at sensitizing and creating awareness on fruit fly control and to create pest free areas. The outcomes of this campaign is expected to stimulate mango export and increase incomes for mango farmers and other value chain actors.

The campaign is driven by the county government, USAID, Feed the Future, Rockefeller foundation, and the Kenyan national government through various agro agencies.

The partners to this campaign have unveiled a raft of measures which will ensure a successful campaign, which include:

Working with five Integrated Pest Management technology providers and two mango cooperatives to promote adoption of IPM best practices;

The campaign will also involve training of 10,000 farmers, training 100 agro dealers and setting up of a distribution system, establishment of 120 demonstration orchards as well as holding 80 field days across the county.

Makueni launches Ajiry centre; to help youth find well-paying jobs

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr on Tuesday officially launched the Ajiry programme and Ajiry center at the Wote Green Park.
The Makueni Ajiry center will offer a wide range of services to the youth including; Digital skills training, mentorship, free access to music and podcast recording studios, and cyber security training and certification.
According to the ICT, Education, and Internship ECM, Elizabeth Muli, this initiative will enable the youth to participate fully in the digital economy and expose them to job opportunities and online markets.
She noted that the digital space will also offer the youth a music studio where they could participate in recording their talents in music, podcasts, and deejaying.
Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr said that the impact of the center will not only be felt in the community but also beyond, adding that his administration has created a model that can be replicated in other parts of the country in empowering the youth to become change-makers in their own right.
He further said that the institution was a game changer in the quest for youth and women empowerment, digital skills, and the digital economy.
The programme is delivered in partnership with the Makueni county government, Tribus-TSG, a subsidiary of Centum Investment Company, and the Mastercard foundation.
 
 
 
 

MAKUENI LAUDED FOR EXEMPLARY GOVERNANCE AND INNOVATION AT PEER REVIEW SUMMIT

Makueni County has been feted for its outstanding public participation governance model by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) /African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Kenya Secretariat at the inaugural National County Peer Review Mechanism Summit held in Nairobi on Wednesday.

The County Peer Review Mechanism (CPRM) is a voluntary self-assessment tool for Kenyan counties, designed to facilitate the sharing of experiences, reinforcement of best practices, identification of deficiencies, and assessment of capacity-building needs to promote political stability, economic growth, and sustainable development.

Makueni, assessed alongside 11 other counties, scored an impressive 71% in public participation. The review, conducted by the CPRM’s Panel of Eminent Persons, involved citizen feedback on devolution since 2013 and covered four main thematic areas: Democracy and Political Governance, Economic Governance and Management, Socio-Economic Development, and Corporate Governance.

The county was also commended for its Green Roads for Water initiative, which integrates water management and re-greening into road design.

Makueni also earned praise for automating its Own Source Revenue (OSR) collection, achieving a revenue target of Kshs. 1 billion in the 2023/24 financial year.

The Maisha Meds Inventory Management System in Makueni also impressed the Panel of Eminent Persons. They urged other counties to adopt similar systems, noting that it has significantly improved the security of commodities in Makueni.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr received accolades for his leadership and pledged to sustain and enhance the county’s performance to ensure continued satisfaction among residents. He was accompanied by Finance CEC Damaris Kavoi and Chief Officer Socio Economic Planning Boniface Mutua.

MAKUENI, KWS PARTNER TO END HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT IN KIBWEZI EAST

Makueni, KWS partner to End Human-wildlife Conflict in Kibwezi East

In a bid to mitigate the long-standing human-wildlife conflict in Kibwezi East, Makueni has partnered with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to extend the protective electric fence by 20km.

The new 20km Wandei- Ngomano section extends the initial 60km Kamunyu-Wandei fence earlier erected by the county government.

This expansion aims to establish a buffer between Tsavo East National Park and human settlements, effectively curbing the numerous attacks on humans by marauding animals, especially elephants.

The contract for this crucial extension was awarded in a ceremony presided over by KWS representative of Senior Assistant Director for Tsavo conservation area Jeremiah Rono, flanked by Environment Chief Officer Dr. Geoffrey Ngovi and Energy Chief Officer Eng. Naomi Nthambi.