News

MAKUENI STRENGTHENS DISABILITY INCLUSION THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING

The County Government of Makueni, in partnership with CURE Kenya and CBM through the SHINE Project, successfully conducted a two-day training for Health Workers, Community Health Promoters (CHPs), and Community Resource Workers to strengthen disability inclusion, early identification, prevention, advocacy, and referral systems across the county.

The training equipped participants with practical skills in disability screening, early detection, rehabilitation, referral pathways, and community linkages, while enhancing their capacity to identify and support persons with disabilities. Participants were also sensitized on common congenital and physical disabilities, underscoring the importance of timely intervention in improving health outcomes.

The training was graced by the Director in charge of preventive and promotive Health,Dr. Stephen Mwatha, who reaffirmed the health workers’ commitment to strengthening disability-inclusive health services through continuous capacity building.

The initiative forms part of Makueni County’s broader efforts to build an inclusive health system by empowering front-line healthcare workers with the skills needed to promote early detection, timely referrals, and access to quality rehabilitation services.

MAKUENI STORMS KYISA 2025 IN HOMA BAY WITH A BANG!

Makueni County has made an emphatic statement at the ongoing Kenya Youth Inter-county Sports Association (KYISA) games in Homa Bay, with her teams across multiple disciplines delivering impressive performances that have established them as serious title contenders.

The men’s football team set the tone early, pulling off a stunning 1-0 victory against defending champions Busia in their opening match. They followed this with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Wajir to comfortably secure a place in the quarterfinals.

Taking cue from their male counterparts, Makueni’s women footballers fought hard in their opening match to earn a 1-1 draw against neighboring Kitui before producing a commanding 2-0 victory over Kajiado that booked their spot in the semifinals.

On the basketball court, the women’s team provided one of the tournament’s most thrilling moments, edging Siaya 48-47 in a nail-biting encounter that went down to the wire.

The men’s volleyball team also made their mark with a convincing 3-1 win against Nyeri, though the women’s volleyball team suffered a 3-0 setback against a strong Nandi side in their opener.

With multiple teams advancing deep into the knockout stages, Makueni County has firmly established itself as one of the teams to beat at this year’s KYISA games.

MAKUENI STIRRING UP CHANGE IN DAIRY FARMING

Makueni County is steadily turning its dairy farming dream into a reality through targeted programs designed to transform the sector into a major income earner and nutrition booster for local households.

During a dairy farmer’s day held at Makiou Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society on Thursday, it was revealed that with the current milk production of about 40 million litres annually in Makueni, the county still imports milk to meet its demand.

However, the county government has turned this gap into an opportunity—rolling out a set of long-term solutions through its Dairy Development Strategy underpinned by four pillars: Improved dairy breeds, Better livestock nutrition, Robust disease management and Modern milk aggregation and marketing systems

During the field day, Agriculture Chief Officer Japheth Kiminza shared how Agriculture Department is taking bold steps to grow the dairy sector from the ground up. Kiminza noted that the county is focused on strengthening the entire dairy value chain to benefit farmers directly.

Among key programs by the county government in place to support this goal include subsidized Artificial Insemination (AI) initiative to help farmers access quality breeds at affordable rates, and the introduction of Makueni Animal Feeds Development Strategy which ensures year-round access to nutritious livestock feed.

In the event that was attended by the Cooperative’s chairperson Paul Wasanga, the Chief Officer noted that the Livestock Department is running a robust vaccination campaign against major dairy diseases, alongside regular farmer training sessions on best dairy practices—making dairy farming both productive and sustainable.

Additionally, the county government has invested heavily in boosting dairy farming by supporting local cooperatives with a good number of the 18 dairy cooperatives spread across the county receiving vital equipment such as milk coolers, pasteurizers, transport vehicles, electricity connections and even mini-processing plants.

Notably, Kikima and Kathonzweni Dairy Cooperatives are among those benefiting from these upgrades.

These improvements are helping farmers handle milk better, maintain quality and earn more from their produce.

As the county celebrated the strides made in dairy farming, it was noted that partnerships with development agencies like the World Bank (through NAVCDP and DRIVE) and FAO have emmensely contributed towards helping scale up feed security and commercialization.

This year’s theme, “Makueni is investing in its farmers, its children’s nutrition, and its future through dairy,” reflects Governor Mutula’s commitment to improving lives by ensuring food security, growing household incomes, empowering communities and promoting agro-industrial growth across the county.

The CO urged dairy farmers to step up and showcase their achievements at the upcoming Makueni Agricultural Show in early August.

MAKUENI STEPS UP WATER GOVERNANCE REFORMS

Makueni’s Water and Sanitation Department is spearheading a series of governance reforms in the county’s Water Service Providers to ensure residents have access to reliable and sufficient water.

On Wednesday, the County Executive Committee Member for Water, John Kieti, met with the leadership of KIMAWASCO in Kibwezi to address the company’s operational challenges, including the loss of 52 percent of water supplied in the form of unaccounted-for water.

The department is employing a multi-pronged approach to combat this issue, including securing funds to automate all water draw-off points, reducing commercial water supply losses, and enacting a water act that will criminalize infrastructure vandalism.

MAKUENI STEPS UP LAND OWNERSHIP DRIVE IN NZAMBANI

Residents of Nzambani Sub-Ward in Makueni County on Wednesday had a rare opportunity to directly engage with government officials on longstanding land ownership challenges during a land succession clinic graced by Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.

The clinic, organized by the Office of the County Attorney, aimed at addressing persistent land succession disputes that have affected many families in the region for generations. The initiative also seeks to help residents formalize land ownership by acquiring title deeds—an essential step toward unlocking the economic value of land.

Governor Mutula Jr. attended the session in Nzambani Sub Ward to gain firsthand insight into the challenges residents face. Speaking during the event, he acknowledged that land succession remains a major concern within the Kamba community, often leading to conflicts and underutilization of property.

He emphasized that obtaining title deeds is key to transforming land into a productive asset.

The governor noted that titled land not only increases in value but also enables owners to access financial services such as bank loans.

The clinic provided a platform for residents to raise pressing concerns and seek guidance on land ownership, inheritance processes, and dispute resolution. Many attendees welcomed the initiative, noting that direct engagement with officials offered clarity on complex legal procedures surrounding land succession.

MAKUENI STEPS UP FIGHT AGAINST MATERNAL DEATHS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH JHPIEGO

Makueni is ramping up efforts to eliminate maternal deaths through a strategic partnership with Jhpiego, focusing on reducing mortality and complications caused by postpartum hemorrhage,the leading cause of maternal fatalities.

In a meeting held in Wote on wednesday,key stakeholders convened to deliberate on effective interventions.

The forum brought together representatives from the County Community Health Strategy, County Reproductive Health teams, Sub-County Community Health Strategy focal persons, Health Promotion Officers, Community Health Assistants, chiefs, sub-chiefs, and religious leaders.

Their primary objective was to chart a clear path toward ending preventable maternal deaths.

Data from the county indicate significant progress in reducing maternal mortality.

In 2022, Makueni recorded 23 maternal deaths, 12 of which resulted from excessive bleeding. However, in 2023/2024, the numbers dropped to 11, signaling a positive trend.

Speaking at the meeting, health promotion officer Bretta Mutisya urged chiefs to work closely with community health promoters to ensure pregnant women receive proper antenatal care and are encouraged to deliver in health facilities.

Jhpiego’s Evaluation, Monitoring, and Research Manager, Fridah Nyaga, underscored the need for preparedness, particularly for expectant mothers in remote areas.

She advised that carrying misoprostol,a life-saving drug,could help prevent excessive bleeding if they deliver outside health facilities.

With these concerted efforts, Makueni is steadily advancing towards its goal of safer childbirth and zero maternal deaths, offering hope for expectant mothers across the region.

MAKUENI STEPS UP FIGHT AGAINST MALNUTRITION

Makueni County has taken a bold step to combat moderate acute malnutrition among children under five as well as pregnant & lactating women.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Tuesday flagged off nutrition supplies worth KSh 2.6 million at Makueni County Referral Hospital, supported by ENI-Kenya.

The supplies, which include essential nutrition supplements and weighing scales, will be distributed across 121 health facilities-which are sites for managing acute Malnutrition within the county. The initiative targets malnourished children aged 6 to 59 months and pregnant & lactating women.

Recent studies indicate that Makueni’s malnutrition rates exceed national averages, with Kibwezi East and Kibwezi West being the most affected regions.

To address these alarming figures, the county government has partnered with ENI-Kenya in provision of the weighing scales which will ensure accurate monitoring of growth to screen and identify malnutrition timely.

Following the screening, those with acute Malnutrition will be managed appropriately using these nutrition supplies

The flagged-off commodities include 29,083 sachets(200gms each) of supplements for children under five and 2,043 sachets(300gms each) for pregnant and lactating women.

Additionally, the distribution package features 25 baby weighing scales and 25 Salter scales to support accurate and timely growth monitoring.

Dr. Paul Musila, the County Executive for Health Services, emphasized that these efforts would significantly improve nutrition among vulnerable children, pregnant &Lactating women enhance improved maternal health, and better pregnancy outcomes.

Governor Mutula urged mothers to take advantage of the interventions being promoted by health regarding the first 1000 days (from conception to first 2 years of childs life) to ensure optimal growth of their children.

MAKUENI STEPS UP FIGHT AGAINST LIVESTOCK DISEASES

Livestock remains a backbone of livelihood, food security, and economic growth in Makueni, yet recurring zoonotic diseases such as Rift Valley Fever, Anthrax, Rabies and brucellosis continue to pose serious risks.

To strengthen early detection and response, the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development, in partnership with INADES Formation Kenya (I.F.K) through the Brooke East Africa program, on Tuesday opened a two-day training workshop for County Veterinary Officers in Kathonzweni on livestock disease surveillance and reporting.

The workshop under the One Health – which is a collaborative, multisectoral and transdisciplinary approach that recognizes the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals, is a training on continuous monitoring, recording and sharing of any unusual livestock health events.

Attending the training, CECM Agriculture Elizabeth Muli, said the strengthened disease surveillance and reporting system will allow swift intervention on livestock health issues before they escalate into full-blown crises.

With Makueni’s climate variability and frequent droughts increasing disease risks, the program—supported by WHO, FAO, WOAH, UNEP and the One Health Expert Panel— aims to help veterinarians detect outbreaks early, trace infection sources, and protect both animals and people.

Makueni steps up establishment of Food Safety Systems

In a bid to ensure quality agricultural products for both domestic and export markets, Makueni has shifted gears to building food safety systems.

According to governor Kivutha Kibwana, the aim of this campaign is to promote public health, and protecting the consumers against health hazards posed by unsafe agricultural products.

To achieve this feat, Makueni has partnered with Micro Enterprise Support Programme Trust (MESPT), and secured funding from the European Union through DANIDA to implement the campaign dubbed AgriFI Food Safety Programme.

At a meeting in Nairobi on Thursday between the Governor and officials from MESPT and the Royal Danish Embassy, it was agreed the programme will target three major value chains namely; Aquaculture, Dairy and horticulture.

MESPT acting Chief Executive Officer Charles Nyawade said the programme will involve among others:

Supporting the County Government in testing, surveillance and enforcement of Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary (SPS) regulations at the county level. This includes setting up of testing labs and provision of testing and surveillance kits and equipment.

Development and dissemination of value chain-based extension curricula modules, integrating the compliance to Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) regulations.

Drive the consumer sensitization on food safety.

MESPT will also support development of the Agricultural Training Centre at Kwa Kathoka as one of the country’s model Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education Training (ATVET) centre.

The centre will be key in offering a holistic capacity building of all agricultural value chain actors especially farmers and extension officers.

According to Nyawade, the centre has already received two million shillings for basic infrastructural installations, while the county government has already established training infrastructure such as an aquatic hatchery, a fish farm as well as irrigation farm.

MAKUENI STEPS UP EFFORTS TO OPERATIONALIZE EMALI CHILD RESCUE CENTRE

The Department of Gender, Children, Youth, Sports and Social Services has intensified efforts to operationalize the Makueni County Child Rescue Centre at Mwanyani, Emali Mulala Ward.

As part of the preparations, County Executive Committee Member for Gender, Eng. Sebastian Kyoni, on Tuesday received a donation of play and art therapy materials from the Emali Dedicated Children Agency to equip the centre ahead of opening its doors to its inaugural cohort of rescued children.

Once operational, the centre will provide a safe haven for vulnerable children, offering not only shelter but also psychosocial support, counselling, education, and life skills training. It will implement structured rehabilitation programs aimed at reintegrating street-connected children back into society.

The newly donated materials will support professional counsellors and caregivers in addressing trauma while promoting emotional expression and healing among the children.