News

Makueni in Partnership with Christian Health Association on HIV prevention

Makueni’s efforts to combat the HIV epidemic has received a shot in the arm following a partnership agreement with Christian Health Association of Kenya (CHAK) to scale up these efforts.

The agreement, signed on Monday by governor Kivutha Kibwana and CHAK’s Secretary General Samuel Mwenda seeks to facilitate the implementation of comprehensive HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment Services in pre-selected faith based facilities within Makueni County

The selected facilities include Kikoko Mission Hospital, Makueni Catholic Dispensary, PCEA Kasasule Health Centre, Kambu Catholic Dispensary and Mbitini Catholic dispensary.

As part of the partnership, CHAK will primarily:

Provide financial support on a monthly basis for human resources support in the facilities captured, subject to funding availability from CDC to the Makueni County Health Management Team as discussed and agreed upon by both parties.

Offer clinical, & Health systems strengthening mentorship at the pre-determined Health facilities.

Participate in joint support supervision with the County Health Management Teams.

Timely submission of MoH monthly reports as per the pre-existing framework to the Makueni County Health Department

Train the personnel in the pre-determined health facilities on various aspects of HIV & T.B service delivery and reporting.

Makueni on the other hand will among others:

Offer staff management including staff appraisal and taking disciplinary measures where necessary.

Provide data capturing and reporting tools for the HIV and TB care and treatment and to Conduct Data Quality Audits of the health facilities captured.

Facilitate consistency in supply of pharmaceutical and laboratory commodities that are vital to the day to day implementation and overall success of the HIV and TB care and treatment interventions as envisioned in the agreement.

MAKUENI, ICRAF, AND KENYA RED CROSS PARTNER TO SUPPORT FLOOD VICTIMS.

At least 60 households in Makueni severely affected by the March-April-May rains through floods have each received Kshs 5,000 courtesy of a partnership between Makueni County Government, Center for International Forestry Research & World Agroforestry Centre (CIFOR-ICRAF) and Kenya Red Cross Society.

The assistance, according to Joyce Kasyoki, ICRAF’s Senior Executive Manager- Global Programs, is intended to address the immediate needs of the affected families.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr on Wednesday hosted officials from the two organizations led by Joyce Kasyoki and George Ndolo, Kenya Red Cross Lower Eastern Regional Head, for a review of ongoing collaborations and attendant impacts. The teams later visited a number of the affected families, mapped by Kenya Red Cross.

CIFOR-ICRAF has continued to actively support Makueni County in developing strategies and interventions to enhance environmental resilience, thereby improving community livelihoods.

MAKUENI HOSTS WATER DEVELOPMENT STAKEHOLDERS TO REVIEW PROGRESS AND SET FUTURE GOALS.

By the year 2027, the Makueni County Government will have invested Shs 4.8 billion in water sector development with the target of achieving 70 percent universal water supply for its over 1 million residents. This investment aims to reduce the distance to the nearest water point from the current 4 km to 2 km.

This announcement was made by County Executive Committee Member for Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation John Kieti during a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) multi-stakeholder forum on Monday, to review the water situation in Makueni.

Presided over by Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr in Wote, the forum aimed to identify progress, gaps, and commitments of different partners towards water development, ensuring the implementation of a unified water agenda by all partners.

A bulk of the funding, to be mobilized by both the county government and partners, will go towards water infrastructure development, treatment, distribution, and enhancing proper governance to ensure the sustainable supply of quality water for all.

Since 2022, the county government has increased water coverage from 26,000 cubic meters to 30,000 cubic meters daily. The WASH forum has been tasked with drawing up a water master plan to bridge the gap to meet the 60,000 cubic meters demand per day as per the County Integrated Development Plan (2023-2027).

MAKUENI HOSTS STREET CHILDREN FOOTBALL COMPETITION AHEAD OF DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD CELEBRATIONS

Makueni County on Saturday held a special football tournament for street children at Emali, aiming to connect with them and understand their background, needs, skills and areas of intervention towards their life and livelihood improvement.

Gender, Children, Youth, Sports, and Social Services Executive Committee Member Eng. Sebastian Kyoni, who flagged off the tournament, stated that the competition serves as a mobilization tool to help get children off the streets.

With support from Social Development and Children Officers, the department will engage with the children to create individualized care plans, including family reintegration where possible.

Children without family support will be rehabilitated at the Makueni Children Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre.

The event was also part of activities leading up to the Day of the African Child to be held on Monday 16th June at Unoa Grounds in Wote.

Makueni is set to host the national celebrations for the Day of the African Child, highlighting efforts to protect and uplift vulnerable children.

According to Kyoni, the initiative aligns with Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr vision of social inclusion, promoting equity and equality for all Makueni residents.

Makueni hosts regional drama festivals

Makueni is playing host to this year’s Eastern regional primary school music festivals at Makueni boys high school with a theme, ‘’Enhancing national unity, cohesion and integration.’’

Gracing the festivals on Monday, governor Kibwana said there is need to foster the spirit of nationhood through music and education.

The festivals brings together all the counties in the Eastern region namely; Tharaka Nithi, Machakos, Embu, Meru, Isiolo, Kitui, Makueni and Marsabit.

The county has become a top spot for such events in what the organizers term as hospitable environment and huge support by the County Government.

MAKUENI HOSTS NATIONAL PARAVOLLEYBALL TRIALS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Makueni County is hosting the national Paravolley (sitting volleyball) trials at Makueni Girls High School in Wote, bringing together teams from across the country for the three-day event.

Twelve counties—Makueni, Mombasa, Uasin Gishu, Siaya, Laikipia, Meru, Nakuru, Vihiga, Migori, Kisumu, Nairobi and Bungoma—are participating in the tournament, which will be used to select Kenya’s national team for the 2026 international paravolleyball championships in China.

In the opening match, Makueni’s men’s team dominated Mombasa with a 3–0 victory, boosting hopes of reaching the finals and contributing a strong contingent to the national squad.

County Executive Committee Member for Gender, Children, Youth, Sports and Social Services, Eng. Sebastian Kyoni, who officially opened the tournament on Thursday, reaffirmed the county’s commitment to promoting sports for persons with disabilities as part of Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.’s inclusivity agenda.

Makueni Disability Network chairperson Justus Katumo welcomed the initiative, noting that the event provides an important platform to empower persons with disabilities, many of whom possess exceptional sporting talent and professional abilities.

MAKUENI HOSTS NATIONAL LAUNCH OF 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE

Makueni County is hosting the 2024 National Launch of 16 Days of campaign against Gender-Based Violence.

The global campaign, observed annually from November 25 to December 10, aims to raise awareness and oppose violence against women and children.

The event is graced by among others:Principal Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs Aurelia Rono, Principal Secretary for Gender and Affirmative Action Ann Wangombe, Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili, Nairobi County MP Esther Passaris, Makueni Senator Daniel Maanzo and County MP Rose Museo.

As the World begins marking 16 days of fight against all forms of Gender-Based Violence, Makueni County has made strides in this fight through:

1. Development of key policies namely; Makueni County Sexual and Gender Based Violence policy, Makueni County Gender Policy, Makueni County Children Policy, Makueni County Sexual harassment at Workplace Policy, Makueni County Social Protection Policy and Makueni County Disability Policy,

2. Established a Makueni Gender Based Violence Recovery Centre at the Wote Level 5 hospital. The recovery center provides support to survivors of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and their families through the provision of comprehensive free medical treatment and psychosocial support to survivors of physical, sexual, emotional or psychological abuse;

3. Established an emergency safe shelter in one of the health centres with a 14-bed capacity each (8 for women and 6 for men) for short term placement of most vulnerable survivors of GBV;

4. Signed a 5-year MOU with Gender Violence Recovery Centre of Nairobi Womens hospital- to ensure prevention, reporting and quick response to GBV in Makueni;

5. Signed a 3-year MOU with Equality Now-Africa-to promote response, prevention and management of all forms of GBV in Makueni;

6. Organized safe spaces forums and children conferences targeting children between the ages of 10-17 years where 7,280 out of which 4,049 girls and 3,231 boys were empowered;

7. Developed walking galleries and gallery cards with children voices to enhance awareness on child protection;

8. Developed a duty bearers booklet and a children booklet on child protection and the need for creation of safe spaces;

9. Organized roadshows in all the major markets across the county to sensitize and create awareness on GBV;

10. Established and trained community-based child protection committees across the county that comprise of sub county administrators, social development officers, OCS, ECDE coordinator, volunteer children officers and children coordinators.

MAKUENI HOSTS NATIONAL CELEBRATIONS TO MARK WORLD METEOROLOGICAL DAY

Makueni County was on Sunday privileged to host the national celebrations to mark World Meteorological Day, an event dedicated to raising awareness about weather and climate concerns.

This year’s theme, “closing the early warning gap together” resonates well with Makueni’s desire for proper climate information dissemination to enhance agricultural production and prepare for emergencies that have rocked the county and the region for years.

Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Festus Ng’eno, led the celebrations at the Makindu Meteorological Station. The event was also graced by the Director Meteorological serivies-Dr David Gikungu, World Meteorological Organizations Director- Hlobille Shikhosana, MPs Jessica Mbalu, Mwengi Mutuse, Executive Committee Member for Devolution Nicholas Nzioka, County Commissioner, and Makueni Chief Officer in charge of Environment Geoffrey Muthoka.

Mr. Nzioka, representing Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr, said the county government is keen on equipping farmers with the knowledge they need to adapt to changing climatic conditions. He highlighted the significance of partnership’s between government and non-governmental organizations in fostering resilience against climate-related challenges.

MAKUENI HOSTS LEGAL AID FORUM BY WATCHDOG COMMISSION

The Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ) has launched a two-day legal aid and public education forum in Makueni County aimed at empowering residents with knowledge about their rights and access to justice.

During a courtesy call to the Governor’s office, CAJ Chairperson Charles Dulo emphasized the Commission’s core mandate: addressing complaints related to abuse of power, delays in service delivery, unfair treatment, and ensuring the public’s right to access information. He praised Makueni’s commitment to public participation, noting it as a strong foundation for promoting accountability and transparency.

Deputy Governor H.E. Lucy Mulili echoed the importance of access to information, critical bills like the Makueni County Administrative Justice Bill and the Access to Information Bill which are nearing finalization.

These laws are expected to entrench the right to administrative justice and access to information for all residents.

Nicholas Nzioka, the CECM for Devolution, urged the commission to address specific challenges such as delays in the issuance of national IDs and the growing presence of undocumented foreigners in the region.

Other attendees included County Attorney Stanley Nthiwa, County Solicitor Jenifer Kyumwa, and CAJ Commissioner Hon. Charles Njagua, among others.

MAKUENI HOSTS INDIAN IRRIGATION TECH GIANT FOR TRANSFORMATIVE AGRICULTURE PARTNERSHIP

Makueni County on Thursday welcomed a high-level delegation from Balson Polyplast Pvt. Ltd., a leading global irrigation technology company based in India, to explore strategic areas of collaboration aimed at transforming agriculture and sustainable energy in the region, like agricultural production,water management, fertigation, and renewable energy solutions including solar and wind power.

Speaking at the Makueni County Headquarters in Wote, Sitansu Sekhar Sarangi, Chief Operating Officer and head of the delegation, emphasized the importance of embracing green revolution technologies to combat the growing threat of climate change on global agriculture.

He pledged the company’s commitment to developing a 100-acre irrigation technology pilot and demonstration project in Makueni County.

Deputy Governor, Lucy Mulili described the proposed irrigation technology as a timely game changer in advancing food security—not only in Makueni but across Kenya.

Her sentiments were echoed by Elizabeth Muli CECM Agriculture, Japheth Mang’oka, Ag. CECM for Water, and Assembly Majority Leader Kisungi Katete, who reaffirmed the county’s commitment to innovative solutions that enhance sustainable development.

CECM Finance, Damaris Kavoi, and Tulimani MCA Kyalo Mumo also attended the meeting.