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UN EYES EXPANSION OF MAKUENI’S SAND DAMS SUCCESS ACROSS KENYA

Makueni’s sand conservation efforts have caught the eye of the United Nations Mission in Kenya, which now seeks to replicate the sand dam conservation technology to the rest of the country.

On Friday, a delegation of 12 UN agencies and the State Department of Devolution trooped to Makueni for an experiential learning mission on the impact of sand dams towards addressing water shortages, food security, climate change and ecological restoration.

The experience, according to UN-Mission Kenya Resident Coordinator Dr. Stephen Jackson will be key in upscaling sand dams’ construction in Makueni and other parts of the country through a joint working framework with the Ministry of Devolution and counties.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr who hosted the delegation said Makueni is heavily investing in sand dams as a solution to perennial challenges of hunger, water shortages and negatives effects of climate change. The county has a total of over a 1,000 sand dams, with potential for 1,000 more across its major seasonal rivers.

Devolution Principal Secretary Teresia Mbaika who coordinates all development partners in the country led the UN delegation to Makueni.

Ukambani to benefit from agribusiness initiative

Farmers from Makueni, Machakos and Kitui counties are set to benefit from an irrigation agribusiness program, an initiative geared towards enhancing food security through irrigated agriculture.

The church community based project, launched at Vyulya village in Machakos is a brainchild of ABC Archbishop in charge of East Africa Timothy Ndambuki and supported by TIMADA LTD and Church Capacity Building and Support Centre (CCCBSC).

The program was unveiled by Archbishop Ndambuki, Makueni County Governor Kivutha Kibwana and Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Maliti on Wednesday.

According to the Archbishop, a successful model, tried and proven in Vyulya shall be replicated in the South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc (SEKEB) to create employment and promote agribusiness across Ukambani and beyond.

“We want this to move to the three counties and we are urging them to walk with us. This will help us improve food security as well as create employment to our youth and women,” said Ndambuki.

The program, to adopt the Israel Moshav model, will entail training of farmers by experts on agricultural skills and supplied with various farm equipment and inputs. The farmers will further form a cooperative society that will help them market their produce as well as link them to export opportunities.

Governor Kibwana hailed the initiative as an economy boost that will not only benefit the people of Vyulya but also the entire Ukambani region through SEKEB.

Ukambani governors meet to jump-start Regional Economic Bloc

Governors Kivutha Kibwana, Alfred Mutua and Charity Ngilu on Friday met in Machakos for deliberations to jump-start the South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc (SEKEB).

The meeting, chaired by Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki, was also attended by the assembly speakers, majority and minority leaders from the three counties, Kamba Council of Elders and representatives of the clergy.

The bloc, the leaders said, will create a platform for joint development investments and resource mobilization for wealth creation to rollback the poverty ravaging the region.

“We have decided to provide direction to our people to create wealth and pull out of fear, poverty, want and backwardness that is often associated with our region.” said governor Ngilu.

“We have numerous shared resources which if well utilized can make a lasting solution to this region,” she said further.

Governor Kibwana termed SEKEB as a unique outfit because while similar blocs by other counties comprise mainly of governors, SEKEB incorporates elders, church leaders, professionals and all interests across the different social and economic sectors.

He said the outfit could be used as an alternative disputes resolution mechanism incase of leadership wrangles as has been witnessed in Makueni in the first cycle of devolution and currently in Machakos.

Governor Mutua said the bloc would provide a platform for all leaders from the region to work towards a common goal irrespective of the regional geopolitics.

Members of parliament, senators and members of county assembly will also be brought on board for inclusivity.

Ukambani governors hold first SEKEB Summit meeting

The three Ukambani governors; Kivutha Kibwana, Alfred Mutua and Charity Ngilu on Tuesday held the first ordinary summit meeting of the South-Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc (SEKEB) in Machakos.

Top on the agenda of the meeting was development of modalities to enhance Inter-county trade, identification of priority programs/projects of the bloc, marketing of the bloc as a key investment zone, infrastructure development to expand interconnectivity of the region for ease of doing business and movement of people.

The three leaders agreed to establish a technical committee comprising of trade CECs as well as create a cabinet portfolio from each county to drive the agenda of the bloc.

Governor Kibwana said the bloc is eyeing KES 4 billion grant from the Global Climate Fund which if approved will fund several mega dams in the region, besides funding climate smart agricultural projects.

Governor Mutua said the three of them have agreed to create the proper political environment that drives genuine development and rolling back of the poverty ravaging the region.

Ngilu on her part was upbeat that the region is rich in resources which if well tapped can create 60,000 jobs per year.

Three Ukambani Deputy Governors pledge to support development collaborations championed by their County Bosses

Deputy Governors Adelina Mwau, Eng Francis Maliti and Dr Wathe Nzau have pledged their unequivocal support for the Poverty Eradication Movement formed by the three Ukambani governors saying it is the only sure way to better the lives of their citizenry as well as accelerate the intentions of South Eastern Economic Bloc (SEKEB).

The three Ukambani DGs on Monday when they addressed the press at Maliti’s office in Machakos noted that the three counties share a lot in common but genuine unity to solve their unique challenges have been missing.

In a joint statement, the DGs further observed that it is only through the unity of purpose that the people of Ukambani can realize the goldmines they have been sitting on over the years and urged the three governors to soldier on.

“We are talking of building into each other’s efforts. For example, we are talking of Kalamba fruit processing plant in Makueni and we can have all Ukambani fruits processed there. We have a lot to learn about the Kitui Ndengu revolution. We are not duplicating but building on each other’s comparative advantages,” Mwau said.

“The initiatives through SEKEB the three governors have come up with are very good. We must change the way we used to do things if we are to expect different results. We also support the religious leaders who are trying to bring the leaders together. We need leaders who can bring our people together for politics of development,” said Nzau.

The deputy governors have lauded their bosses for choosing a direction away from the status quo and for reviving SEKEB which they said will concentrate on the following issues;

  • Development of key infrastructures such as roads, mega dams and factories,
  • Establishment of regional bank to support the economy of the region,
  • Promote agriculture,
  • Develop a policy on Universal Health Coverage where health insurance can be used across all the facilities in the 3 counties,
  • Jointly to exploit common natural resources and come up with a framework on how the people will directly benefit,
  • Provide conducive environment to both local and international investors and market the region an investment and tourist destination and,
  • Revive and value add cotton and leather industries whose raw materials are readily available in the region.

UK PLEDGES MILLIONS FOR GREEN INVESTMENT PROJECTS IN KENYAN COUNTIES

The United Kingdom has pledged £6.6 million in financial support to initiate the development of 50 green investment projects across 10 counties in Kenya. This funding initiative, announced at an event in Nairobi, is guided by the County Green Finance Assessment report, launched on Thursday.

The report evaluates the 10 counties’ capacity, including Makueni, to access green finance, enabling them to channel investments into vital sectors such as water, healthcare, energy, and infrastructure. Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili emphasized that this initiative would yield economic benefits while addressing the specific needs of local communities.

Produced by Financial Sector Deepening Kenya, an independent trust supported by the UK government, the assessment analyzed each county based on financial performance, credit risk, availability of green investment opportunities, and their ability to manage green finance.

FSD Kenya collaborates on this project with the Capital Markets Authority, the ADA Consortium, the Nairobi Securities Exchange, and the National Treasury and Economic Planning.

Uganda Benchmarks in Makueni

Uganda’s LDC-Led LIFE-AR initiative tasked with developing effective and long-term climate adaption interventions and delivering climate finance to local actors on Wednesday paid a courtesy call to H.E Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili during a benchmarking tour of the County.
The team led by Joseph Epitu, commissioner-water, and the Environment sector was taken through some of the interventions made by the county.
The county has set aside 2% of its development budget for climate financing as per the Makueni County Climate Change Act, 2022, and passed climate regulation, 2018, hence strengthening County Climate Change Fund (CCCF). Currently, the county is preparing to conduct a participatory Climate Risk Assessment (PCRA) so as to understand local climate risks and actions to build community resilience.
During their 2-day program, the delegates will have a field visit led by Dr. Sonia Nzilani, CECM, Land, Urban Planning & Development, Environment, and Climate Change to see how the county, partners have taken action in remediating climate change.
 
 
 
 

UCM partnership with SEKEB focuses on education and workforce development

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The University of Central Missouri is partnering with the Government of Makueni County-Kenya, a member of the South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc (SEKEB), and Global Classroom Exchange (GCE) to enhance international workforce development and education opportunities.

The unique collaboration includes UCM, the Government of Makueni County-Kenya, the Economic Bloc and Global Classroom Exchange. The partnership officially launched at a Jan. 8, 2021, virtual signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding. MOU signers included the Governor of Makueni County, H.E. Professor Kivutha Kibwana; Dr. Phil Bridgmon, UCM provost and vice president for Academic Affairs; Dr. Laurel Hogue, vice provost for UCM Extended Studies; and John Musau, founder and CEO of Global Classroom Exchange.

Through the partnership, UCM Extended Studies will work with the university’s Kenyan peers on education, entrepreneurship and workforce development. The partners are leveraging technology to foster global collaboration in resolving local challenges. These organizations are working together to develop real-world sustainable solutions for students and adults. Students from Kenya and the United States will also gain hands-on experiences in areas such as Internet of Things, virtual reality, telehealth and entrepreneurship while working on industry-recognized certifications and accelerated degree programs.

The partnership’s foundation began in 2019 with Summit Technology Academy (Lee’s Summit R-7 School District) meeting virtually with students in Kenya to become acquainted and begin planning their combined efforts. During fall 2019, Kenya Governor Kivutha Kibwana and a delegation from Kenya visited Lee’s Summit to tour the Missouri Innovation Campus and meet with officials from UCM and Summit Technology Academy.

This new partnership has benefited significantly from the involvement of Digloso Ltd, a company focusing on providing emerging populations with technological infrastructure and modular application platforms. Digloso is headquartered in Kenya.

Want to become involved?

Business, individuals and organizations have the opportunity to collaborate in the project, which is actively seeking partners to help with solutions. For more information, contact Joe Mullins at jmullins@ucmo.edu or Dr. Laurel Hogue at lhogue@ucmo.edu.

Components of the partnership

  • Leveraging technology to enhance academic learning
  • Developing career pathways with joint workforce programs for global markets
  • Establishing UCM dual credit and concurrent programs with Makueni County-Kenya
  • Providing students with opportunities to gain hands-on experiences in areas such as Internet of Things, virtual reality, telehealth and entrepreneurship while also working on industry-recognized certifications and accelerated degree programs
  • Focusing on meaningful collaboration and project-based learning.

What the partners are saying

“The Makueni Innovation Centre will provide an avenue for young people within the County, the SEKEB Region and beyond to develop skills and innovations that are necessary in creating an economic ecosystem,” said said the governor of Makueni County, Hon. Professor Kivutha Kibwana. “Unemployment is a major challenge in Kenya, especially among the youth, and I believe the experience they will receive through this partnership will create employment opportunities for them.”

“Today is the result of a lot of work and collaboration, and we are really excited about the work ahead,” said Dr. Laurel Hogue, vice provost for UCM Extended Studies, during the virtual MOU signing.

“We talk about having borders, and we talk about creating opportunities and sometimes those two don’t go hand-in-hand,” said John Musau, founder and CEO of Global Classroom Exchange. “I feel this is one opportunity for us to make a difference.”

 

“This is an important engagement in workforce development that will provide career pathways in an area that is growing and emerging,” said Dr. Phil Bridgmon, UCM provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

About the partners

  • The University of Central Missouri operates campuses in Lee’s Summit and Warrensburg, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as certificate programs, professional education courses and customized corporate curriculum. UCM and Summit Technology Academy have shared space and resources in the award-winning Missouri Innovation Campus facility since its opening in fall 2017.
  • The South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc includes three counties: Kitui, Machakos and Makueni with a combined estimated population of 4.7 million. The Bloc was created to provide social and economic development for its citizens.
  • Global Classroom Exchange is the CSR arm of Digloso, a company focusing on providing emerging populations with technological infrastructure and modular applications platforms. Digloso’s founder and CEO John Musau is a native of Kenya with the company’s headquarters located in Machakos, Kenya.

makueni-county-logo   GCE-logo        ucm-logo

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Tree Planting Initiative

Following the deputy governor’s tree planting initiative on 12th November 2013, the Makueni County department of Lands, Urban Planning Launched a tree-planting drive that seeks to plant one tree for each of the 884,527 residents of Makueni County with Hon. Adelina Mwau on the lead.

One of the initiatives towards achieving this objective is dubbed ‘Each Pupil Tree’ (E-PAT), targeting the 276,000 primary school pupils in the county. We have supplied a seedling for each primary school pupil, and we expect that with the support and supervision of their teachers they will tend these trees till they grow and mature.In her speech at all the schools she visited the Deputy Governor emphasized that the progress of the trees will be monitored from time to time, and after a while award the schools with the highest survival rate as well as the pupils whose trees will be the best will be awarded.

Among the schools Hon Adelina Mwau visited with the CEM Lands, Urban Planning, CEM Education and MCA Vaati, include, Utaati Primary School-Makueni District, Katitu Primary School in Kilungu District and Enzai Primary School in Mukaa District

  • November 20, 2013 in News