Makueni County integrated development plan 2018-2022 is not as bulky as the other documents that we have analyzed before. We therefore start this process with a sigh of relief. It is just 59 pages and that is all.
In addition to the five-year plan, Makueni County also has “Makueni County Vision 2025.” This is one of the overarching plans at the county which is referred to alongside the County Spatial and Urban Plans.
Background
As usual we are starting the analysis with some background information. Makueni County covers an area of 8,008.7 square kilometers.
Makueni County is mostly arid and semi-arid and it is subject to frequent droughts. This means that there is limited precipitation as compared to other regions of Kenya.
Makueni is composed of six (6) sub-counties which are: Kilome, Makueni, Kaiti, Mbooni, Kibwezi East and Kibwezi West.
Electoral Wards
According to Makueni County CIDP 2018 there are 30 electoral wards in Makueni County. Further, there are 60 sub-wards. This is a new idea at this point, there is no other county that I have analyzed which has a sub-ward.
Population
In 2009, Kenya National Housing Census estimated that there were 1 million people in Makueni County. The youth were reported to have accounted for 24% of the entire population of that county.
Challenges which faced County integrated development plan 2013-2017
The implementation of the first CIDP was faced by a number of challenges. Chief among them was the political turmoil of that period. If you a keep student of history or government, you may be aware that during the first five years under devolution. Plans to dissolve the county government were underway and President Uhuru Kenyatta setup a special taskforce which submitted a report with recommendations. All these wars were cause by the wrangles between the County Governor Professor Kivuta Kibwana and his Members of County Assembly.
Achievements from County integrated development plan 2013-2017
- Establishment of Makueni Fruit processing plant;
- Supporting Kikima dairy with a mini processing plant;
- Development of 24 modern market sheds;
- Administered 17,000 high breed AIs;
- Developed 12 livestock yards;
- Facilitated establishment of 30 new cooperative societies;
Plans for Economic Empowerment
Makueni County successfully established a fruit processing plant during the first five years. Now, it is focusing on ensuring sustainability of that industry by ensuring that the farmers are able to continuously supply enough fruits for processing.
This will be achieved through supporting establishment of farmer cooperatives in order to provide proper extension services.
Secondly, Makueni County is supporting the establishment of fruit nurseries and linking them to the above mentioned cooperatives.
The county is further supporting production of vegetables for the export market and they plan to have 1,200 ha under cultivation.
Development of beef production and marketing Program
Makueni County is planning to promote beef production through: a) constructing an abattoir in Kambu; b) establish a tannery at Wote and; c) develop pasture in range lands in Kibwezi East.
Dairy Business
Makueni County is planning to increase milk production through use of modern technologies such as Artificial Insemination and putting diseases under control. The county is planning for the period under focus to promote zero grazing and make extension services readily available.
Honey Production
Makueni County currently produces 110,000 kilograms of honey every year. There are plans to expand the production to reach 180,000 kilos per year.
Industrialization
- Establish ceramic industry in Kilungu;
- Establish an industrial park in Mtito Andei along the SGR line;
- Promote cotton production from 1,830 MT when the CIDP was written to 3,825 MT in 2022.
Mining
Makueni County is planning to promote sustainable resource management through developing a mining policy; compiling an inventory of the existing stock of minerals; establish artisanal mining committees; promote establishment of ballast crushing plant in Kibwezi East as well as promote establishment of granite processing plant within the county.
Water Resource Management in Makueni County
Makueni County is home to three permanent rivers named Kiboko, Athi and Kambu. There are also notable seasonal rivers such as: Tawa, Makindu, Muooni, Usi Unene and Thwake among others.
Makueni County has a water coverage of 35% compared to 52% national average. This partly explains why 64.3% of the county population depends on unimproved sources of water.
Residents in many parts of Makueni used to walk long distances to water points. This necessitated investments in water harvesting activities for the period 2013 -2017.
Priorities to increase access to water 2018-2022
- Construct of 6 mega dams complete with storage tanks and distribution networks. Each of the six sub-counties is expected to be home to one dam with a capacity of at least 1 million cubic meters;
- Construction of 30 medium sized dams
- Drill and equip 20 boreholes
- Connect 5 urban areas with reliable piped water- Mtito Andei, Makindu, Wote, Tawa, Kasikeu and Nunguni;
- Develop sewerage and waste management system in 6 urban centers of Sultan Hamud, Emali, Mtito Andei and Wote;
Rain water harvesting
- Issue 1,400 institutions with 10,000 litre water tanks in a matching scheme agreement;
- Support 90,000 households have water harvesting structures;
- Construct 1,000 water ponds
Lands Sector
- Issuance of title deeds with plans to double the number of households with title deeds;
- Completion of 5 adjudication sections for issuance of freehold titles and land alienation of 5 settlement schemes;
- Automate all land data services
- Prepare 60 registry index maps and;
- Establish land information database and GIS for storage and easy retrieval of land information;
Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC)
Equip existing medical facilities:
- Purchase, installation and commissioning of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine in Makueni county referral Hospital;
- Purchase, installation and commissioning of a Computed Tomography (CT) scan machine in Makueni county referral Hospital and 2 more hospitals;
- Purchase and commissioning of endoscopy and laparoscopy equipment in Makueni county referral Hospital and Makindu Level IV hospital;
- Commissioning of a cancer treatment centre.
- Purchase of 6 fully equipped ambulances;
Automation of Health Information Systems
- Configuration of the system to support financial,
- inventory service delivery and human resource management (end to end hospital automation); and,
- Development of a telecentre with requisite infrastructure in the county referral hospital to offer diagnostic services to patients located in remote locations.
Recreation parks and cultural Promotion
- Establish 2 recreational parks with recreational amenities in 2 urban areas;
- Construct and equip Akamba museum in Makindu;
- Operationalize Mukamba cultural centre in Kibwezi;
- Promote county wide cultural activities and facilitate an annual Akamba cultural event.
READ MORE: Makueni County CIDP 2018-2022: part II
