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Makueni – Kisii peer learning

A team of technical officials from Kisii County has visited Makueni County offices in a mission to learn on various aspects of accounting, procurement, health and project implementation terming Makueni as a good study ground on how devolution has worked.

​“Peer learning missions should be a dialogue for all to learn and critique one another. This way, devolution will make meaning to the people.” Said Adelina Mwau, Deputy Governor on Tuesday while receiving the Kisii delegation.

The objectives of the visit were; to study the best practices on internal financial control; procurement systems; payment system; documentation; financial reporting system; health matters and project implementation among many other areas of mutual interest.

Makueni has been hailed for implementing an efficient accounting system that has enabled the county to attain a clean audit nod by the Auditor General.

  • August 14, 2019 in News

MAKUENI KICKS OFF PLANS TO ESTABLISH TOURISM ASSOCIATION

Makueni’s tourism directorate has set the ball rolling towards establishment of a Tourism Association to unite stakeholders and market the county as a top tourists destination. It will be modeled after the Kenya Coast Tourism Association.

During a stakeholder sensitization forum on Thursday, an interim committee was put in place to oversee the registration process and recruit more members.

The forum was led by Dr. Josselyn Nzilani, Chief Officer of Trade, Industry, Marketing, Culture, and Tourism, and attended by representatives from the Kenya Tourism Board, Tourism Regulatory Authority, and other industry players.

MAKUENI KICKS OFF CAMPAIGN TO GROW 1 MILLION TREES

The Department of Lands through the Directorate of Environment has launched a campaign to grow 1 million trees in the October-November-December rain season.

The exercise is part of a greater initiative by the County Government of Makueni to plant and grow 344M trees by the year 2032 to restore degraded landscapes and forests.

The exercise was launched by County Executive Committee Member Japheth Mang’oka flanked by Chief Officer Geoffrey Muthoka, representatives of Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Forest Research Institute and Community Forest Association at Kalumbi Forest in Mbitini Ward, Makueni Sub-county.

Acting Director Climate Change Jackline Kamusa says a greater percentage of the trees are fruit trees, to be given to farmers to ensure food resilience in the wake of climate change.

To weed out the menacing illegal felling of trees for charcoal and timber, Mang’oka said the county government has enlisted the support of Community Forest Associations for policing and intelligence sharing on the perpetrators of this environmental destruction.

MAKUENI, KIBWEZI WEST WINNERS OF THE MKJ SUPA CUP

Makueni and Kibwezi West Sub-counties are officially the champions of the MKJ SUPA CUP that came to close on Sunday at Unoa grounds in Wote.

Makueni won both Men and women football, Women 5 on 5 Basketball, and Beach Handball Men. Kibwezi West won the Men 5 on 5 Basketball, and the 3 on 3 Basketball both men and Women.

Winners will represent Makueni County in the Kenya Inter-county Sports Association (KYISA) Games in Kilifi scheduled for 14th- 21st April 2024

MAKUENI INTENSIFIES LANDSCAPE RESTORATION OF DEGRADED LANDS

Makueni’s Department of Lands, in partnership with FAO and the European Union under the Digital Land Governance Programme, has completed a two-day capacity building workshop for Muambwani and Kalumbi Community Forests restoration stakeholders.

The training is geared towards equipping the stakeholders, among them the community, with necessary information for participatory forest management planning, build synergies among the different stakeholders and carry out monitoring and evaluation of the Muambwani-Kalumbi Community Forest restoration progress.

The training brought together community members, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service and ICRAF representatives.

County Chief Officer in charge of Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change Geoffrey Muthoka reiterated Makueni’s determination to restore degraded landscapes while encouraging the planting of high-value trees in both public and private farmlands.

Makueni Inks deal with WFP to promote Agriculture

Makueni County has penned a deal with World Food Programme (WFP) to promote Sustainable Food Systems in the County.

The five-year program, based on a 50-50 funding for multi sectoral value chains development, was signed by governor Kivutha Kibwana and WFP deputy country director Lara Fossi in Nairobi on Friday.

The program targets smallholder producers, youth, market and supply chain actors, food-insecure and vulnerable populations to benefit from sustainable, resilient inclusive food systems and meeting food and nutrition needs by 2023.

The deal seeks to among others;

Promote the scaling up of climate resilient technologies and best practices for improved and sustainable Smallholder food production systems;

Enhance sustainable rangeland management for improved livestock production and enhanced community resilience;

Strengthen the resilience capacity of communities on climate risk management through livelihood diversification and linkage to financial and insurance services;

Improve market and supply chain linkages, including reduction of post-harvest losses and opportunities for value addition and;

To strengthen technical and institutional capacity to deliver sustainable hunger solutions and building community resilience.

Some of the expected outcomes of the partnership are:

Scaling of rainwater harvesting (RWH) and irrigation management technologies;

Rehabilitation and Management of 10,000 acres of degraded rangeland;

Increased access to safe and reliable water for both domestic, livestock and irrigation use and;

Strengthening of community capacity to maintain and sustain water structures.

By end of the five years, the deal will have benefitted at least 44, 000 residents directly and over 200,000 indirectly.

The range of activities as outlined in the deal will cover; Kathonzweni, Kitise/Kithuki, Mavindini, Masongaleni, Ivingoni/Nzambani, Makindu, Kikumbulyu North, Kikumbulyu South, Kalawa and Kiima Kiu/Kalanzoni wards.

Makueni inks deal with Nairobi Women’s Hospital to establish recovery center

Makueni has officially unveiled a Sexual and Gender Based Violence Recovery Centre (SGBVRC) at the Makueni County referral hospital.

The facility, the first by a county government, was unveiled on Wednesday by nominated Member of Parliament Cecily Mbarire flanked by governor Kivutha Kibwana, founder and director of strategy  Nairobi Women’s Hospital Sam Thenya, Nairobi City County assembly speaker Beatrice Elachi, deputy governor Adelina Mwau and County MP Rose Museo.

Kibwana, on behalf of the County Government, also signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Nairobi Women’s Hospital which lays out a framework for collaboration between the two parties to develop, promote and strengthen joint actions and collaboration towards prevention and response to gender-based violence within Makueni County.

According to the MoU, The Nairobi Women Hospital Gender Recovery Centre will:

  1. Offer technical support and guidance on the establishment and management of the county referral hospital gender based violence recovery centre (GBVRC).
  2. Through consultation with the GMC, conduct capacity building on GBV prevention and response for key stakeholders involved in GBV management such as the healthcare providers, community structures and other relevant cadres or groups.
  3. Provide technical advice to the policy makers and those in the county relevant institutions on strengthening GBV prevention and response and institutionalization of policies.
  4. Collaborate with GMC to institutionalize the use of evidence informed interventions through activities such as baseline and end-line assessments, program reviews.
  5. Implement targeted community and learning institutions education awareness on GBV prevention and response in collaboration with GMC
  6. Collaborate with the county to support in monitoring GBV activities through quarterly stakeholders’ meetings and other appropriate approaches.
  7. Collaborate wth GMC in sharing GBV data to promote evidence based programming maintaining confidentiality of affected persons (Suvivors of gender based violence).
  8. At their cost, receive referrals for GBV specialized care and treatment 
  9. Participate in or facilitate GBV technical coordination group meetings
  10. Aassist in establishing linkages and networks including resource mobilization for the GBV program.

Makueni inks deal with ChildFund Kenya to promote sustainable development in the County

Makueni County has inked a five-year partnership deal with ChildFund Kenya, a child-focused development organisation to promote sustainable development in the county.

The Memorandum of Understanding, signed by County Secretary Paul Wasanga and the ChildFund International president Anne Goddard on Friday at Emali seeks to;

Improve livelihoods by strengthening families’ economic security and self-sufficiency. ChildFund working with the County Government of Makueni will help youths and families start their own businesses or train for marketable careers which can lead to community-wide changes and opportunities;

Implement hygiene, water and sanitation projects in the county in order to increase access to clean water sources for domestic and agriculture use, and to reduce emergence and spread of waterborne and water related diseases;

Increase access to educational opportunities for all children and youth by supporting the development of child-friendly ECDE Centers, capacity building caregivers on responsive parenting, payment of bursaries for orphans and vulnerable children, and providing life skills training and mentorship support to adolescents and youth;

Promote primary health care services by implementing responsive parenting education and nutrition programs and

Create safe spaces in the community where children are nurtured and protected. This will be done mainly through the strengthening community based child protection mechanisms and linking them to the formal systems.

Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau who witnessed the signing of the MoU commended ChildFund Kenya for their good work of lifting the lives of the people of Makueni especially the children and welcomed the partnership.

President Goddard said the deal will see them achieve more development for the people saying that that they were happy to bring on board partners from the government and other organisations.

“We realise we can’t do much alone and that is why we are willing to partner with local and international organisations,” said Goddard.

Makueni inks deal with Centre for Health Solutions for healthcare promotion

Makueni County has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Centre for Health Solutions Kenya (CHS-Kenya) to advance its quality of healthcare promotion.

The MoU, signed by governor Kivutha Kibwana and CHS-Kenya Chief Executive Officer Paul Wekesa on Monday seeks to:

Support in implementation and expansion of high quality HIV Care, prevention and treatment through training and capacity building activities, provision of commodities and other relevant assistance;

Provide technical advice to policy makers and to those in county health institutions that will deliver the services through the MoH;

Establish collaborative framework to institutionalize the use of evidence informed interventions through activities such as baseline assessments, program reviews and operations research;

Enhance support in monitoring activities of the National Tuberculosis Leprosy and Lung Disease (NTLD) Program through support, supervision and quarterly meetings.

The deal, according to governor Kibwana, is in line with the county government’s commitment to advance appropriate and rapid responses to the County’s HIV/AIDS epidemic and to health promotion in general.

The deal will cover 64 health facilities across the county, among them the sub county hospitals and the Makueni County Referral hospital.

Makueni inks a deal with Equality Now Africa on Gender Violence Response

Makueni County has inked a three-year partnership with Equality Now Africa, an international women’s rights organisation, to promote a multi-sectoral approach to response, prevention and management of Sexual Gender Based Violence in the County.

The deal, signed by Governor Kivutha Kibwana and Equality Now Director Africa Office Faiza Mohamed and witnessed by Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau on Thursday seeks to respond to and manage SGBV which is on the rise in Makueni with women and children most affected.

Kibwana termed GBV as a silent killer saying that several children were hurting and a lot of care is needed while handling their cases.

“GBV is a silent killer. We think there are so many kids hurting and this calls for professionalism while dealing with their cases because they can break or make their lives,” Kibwana noted.

As part of the MoU, Equality Now Africa will offer capacity building to county personnel on gender rights and the attendant legal framework providing for and protecting these rights; support and facilitate experiential learning of county personnel to design, plan and implement interventions to address sexual and gender based violence in the county.

The women’s rights organisation will also offer technical support in the development and review of county policies and legislation on gender mainstreaming and Sexual Gender Based violence policies and legislation including on Sexual and Gender Based Violence Management and Control.

The County Government of Makueni will, in accordance with the deal,support the development of key county policy and legislation addressing Sexual and Gender BasedViolence,gendermainstreaming and finance activities towards ending sexual violence in schools.