Residents protest against sand harvesting

Storm brews over
sand harvesting

By Daniel Kituku in Makueni

MAKUENI Sand Authority  is under pressure to designate a sand harvesting site as residents resist sand harvesting in majority rivers . 

Mutula puts ministers under strict performance contracts

WOTE: Tuesday  January 31, 2023

Makueni CECs sign Performance Contracts

All Makueni County Executive Committee Members have signed performance contracts committing to deliver the highest possible quality of services and projects implementation within agreeable timelines. 

The CECMs committed to achieve set out targets within their respective departments for the 2022/2023 Financial Year. They will be evaluated against those targets at the end of the Financial Year. 

The performance contracts signing will be cascaded downwards to Chief Officers and Directors while other officers upto the lowest in rank will sign performance appraisals. 

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr who led the exercise at the Office of the Governor compound said performance management will be an integral part of his administration so as to ensure efficient and effective delivery of services to Makueni residents. 

He said performance management will align the workforce, resources and systems towards achieving "Wauni Wa Kwika Nesa na Ulungalu" while also inculcating self drive at the work place.

Machakos Town Schools ranked

 An analysis of KCSE
 in Machakos Sub County

By The Anchor Reporter

The state of education in Machakos Sub County can be cracked from the analysis that has been just concluded on KCSE 2022 performance.

Out of the 4,088 candidates who sat for the examination in the 59 secondary schools in the sub-county, only 776 will proceed to the university, which is far less than a half of the candidates. Out of the 776, only 2 got an A grade. 27, had A-, 78 got B+, 151 b-, 226 had B and 292 had a C+, representing about 32 percent transition to University.

The bulk of the students will now have to sort themselves in Tertiary institutions. The majority in this category got  D-(812). The table below tell the grim story with better accuracy.

Kitui : Vetting Chief Officers enters the second day

*Kitui Chief Officers vetting enters homestretch*

By Philip Muteti 

Communication Officer- CGoK

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

The vetting of  nominees of  Governor Dr. Julius Malombe, EGH for consideration as Chief Officers to the various County Government departments today entered the second and last day.

The constitutional exercise kicked off yesterday where Education, Training and Skills Development Cabinet nominee Joyce Titus was vetted alongside 15 Chief Officer picks. 

The remaining 11 of 26 Chief Officer nominees are set to appear before the various sectoral committees of the Kitui County Assembly for the suitability check.

CO nominees Lynn Kitwan for (Public Health & Sanitation), Pauline Kikele Mwalali (Basic Education, ECDE & Childcare Facilities), Bretta Mwangangi (Culture, Gender & Social Services), and Stephen Makau Musili (Trade, Industry, MSMEs & County EIZs) were being vetted as we went to Press.

Dr. Musyoka Benson Wambua, nominee for Medical Services, Aggrey Kinyalili Kamba (Drugs & Medical Supplies), Paul Ngei Monyi (Cooperatives & Citizen Group Economic Empowerment Initiatives), and Nason Kang’alya Kilonzo (Youth, Sports, ICT & Initiatives) are also set to face the respective vetting panels later in the day.

Others include Kennedy Munyambu Mwendwa (Polytechnics, Vocational Centres & Homecraft Centres), David Soi Masai (Environment & Forestry) and Henry Ngilu Nyamai (Energy, Minerals & Natural Resources).

-CGoK-Communications Department 

Global Warming: Lukenya University's 1m trees challenge

By Irene Nyanzi 

Global temperature is warming, weather patterns are changing, and sea level is rising.

The Lukenya University

Climate has changed throughout earth's long history, but this time it's different.

 Human activity is causing worldwide temperatures to rise higher and faster than at any time we previously know of. 

The urgency to find a solution has never been greater. Nations, global organizations, scholars individuals have beeb involved in efforts to find and fund a solution to climate change.

It is a race against time for governments, organizations,and Institutions as they work towards finding a solution to Climate change. In Kenya, Lukenya University has stepped forward with a practical and crucial initiative - to plant 1million trees at its maim Campus in Mtito Andei in Kibwezi East. 

The main Sponsors of the event will be The Kassanga Mulwa Foundation,The Lukenya Schools and the Lukenya college.

The Lukenya University's focuss is ambitious, specific and verifiable;  plant 1million trees to deal with the climate change facing Kenya and the Horn of Africa.

Under the theme ' Running for a Greener Future' the university has organized a Marathon event on the March 26, 2023 at its campus in Mtito Andei,Kibwezi East,Makueni County to achieve its objective. 

The event launch will be done at Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi on Wednesday February 1, 2023.

The main Sponsors of the event will be The Kassanga Mulwa Foundation,The Lukenya Schools and the Lukenya college.

With improvement of tree cover, the environment must change.Tree cover will curb frequent and intense drought, whirl winds, heat waves, rising sea levels, melting glaciers and warming oceans that  directly harm humanity, animals, destroy the places they live, and wreak havoc on people's livelihoods and communities. It is a 'stich in time'

Mutula rejects Raila rallies

 

By Daniel Kituku

Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr  today dismissed  Raila Odinga  led demos against William Ruto administration. 

Raila rally in Nairobi today

Mutula's stand will certainly put him on a collision path with his Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka who is supporting Mr Odinga's push to seek justice against an allegedly stolen Presidential election.

Speaking at A.I.C Nzeveni Mbooni Sub county,  Mutula distanced himself from the demos citing  underdevelopment  in the Kamba Region. 

He reiterated the major development witnessed in Luo Nyanza and vowed never to attend any of the rallies /demos unless Kamba Region is has equal development as Nyanza .

"It's our time to harvest from government as Nyanza benefited from Uhuru  Kenyatta government. " said Mutula .

Mutula , an Elected Wiper  Governor spoke few weeks after Machakos  Wiper Governor  Wavinya Ndeti declared working  with President William Ruto .

danielsmth732@gmail.com

Mutha residents await the building of police stations

Kitui Governor Dr Julius Malombe (EGH) has said his administration will work with the national government to address the constant insecurity menace with a view to finding lasting peace following incursions by armed invaders who have terrified the residents for years.

The county, according to the county chief, is consulting with the national government to work on the modalities of implementing various security projects in the area to boost security.

Governor Malombe restated his administration's commitment to protect lives of the residents considering that attackers have allegedly killed and inflicted injuries on the victims following sporadic pasture-related conflicts characteristic of the remote part of Kitui County.

He further thanked President Dr Ruto for his pledge to operationalize the police stations once the structures are done.

The Governor was speaking in Kalambani, Mutha - Kitui South during the laying to rest ceremony of the late Mwikali Kituku.

Expand Children's Spaces- Magistrate

Magistrate wants set up
of a Children's Parliament 

 By Gastone Valusi in Machakos 

 A magistrate wants the government to establish special children’s courts across the country in order to prosecute sexual offenders and deliver justice to the victims. Outgoing Kangundo Senior Principal Magistrate Ms. Monica Nyakundi says this way, the government would enforce strict laws for those who violate children's rights.

Ms. Nyakundi

Turmoil in Machakos Land Registry

 

Art of stealing bursaries

Machakos tops list 
of stolen bursaries 

Machakos Town Constituency is claiming the biggest chunk of bursary funds that can not be accounted for with a figure of  Kes 45million.

Figure by
 The Daily Nation

A report from the Auditor General puts the exact figure at Kes 45,106,000, making it the highest figure in Kenya of suspected stolen funds from the bursary scheme.

Two more constituencies- Mwala and Kitui West  feature in the list, with Mwala showing Kes 27,214,000 suspected stolen, while Kitui West has Kes18,892,000 missing.

The figures stand out like a sore toe because millions of poor students continue to miss school due to biting poverty levels in the villages in those constituencies. Most likely, those culpable of the theft are well-to-do people who have been appointed by Members of Parliament in the respective constituencies to manage the funds.

Worse still, the revelations come as schools in Lower Eastern Region remain practically missing from the list of top performing schools in the 2022 KCSE examination. For instance, the top National School- Machakos School, had only one 'A' Grade, compared to Mangu High School that had over 80 'A's, more than all the 'A' grades attained in the three counties of Machakos, Kitui and Makueni.

The theft highlights why MPs must be restrained by all means from presiding over public funds such as Constituency Development Funds as decreed by the Supreme Court of Kenya that found CDF to be unconstitutional due to the fact that it vests MPs with a role in its management- while it is a funtion of the executive.

It remains to be seen how MPs will vote on the action to be taken on their hirelings.

Meet the Beekeeper of Kyaume

By Gastone Valusi

The Bee keepers in Kyaume village in Matungulu Sub- county want the government to support the private sector efforts aimed at attracting the youth to the business.

The chairman of the local bee keepers association Danwatson Mweu said that both county and national governments could render support through seminars and sensitisation programmes.

Mr Mweu said that bees were pollinators that increase reproduction of fruit crops.

He said that bee keeping was an emerging business that needed government support for sustainable growth and development for interested of Kenyan youth.

"The association usually organises vigorous training , sensitisation and seminars geared towards attracting young farmers to join the association,"he said. 

Mweo spoke yesterday during a meeting with bee keepers at the village.

Mr Mweu said only few bee keepers are doing the business and that is why they do as much as they can to encourage youths to join in the business. 

He identifiedalso bush burning and vandalising of beehives as challenges to the development of the business in the region.

"Our major challenges are bush burning and vandalism. People vandalise our beehives in the bush.

Kitui's 21 key sectors in big funding plan

USAID, Kitui County's
 Kes. 1bn funding plan

 Kitui, Thursday, January 26, 2023

The fourth phase of the quarterly review meetings on the Joint Work Plan (JWP) between the County Government of Kitui and USAID kicked off yesterday at a Kitui hotel.

Bombshell charge for activist in tiff with Governor Ndeti

By Mueni Mutua 

A political activist Donald Mwendwa Nzau popularly known as 'Password' has been charged in a Machakos Court on a sensational charge.

The Charge Sheet.

The state is indicting the activist  for publishing alleged  false information against Machakos County Governor Wavinya Ndeti in a WhatsApp group. 

Activist Donald Mwendwa Nzau

Mwendwa was arrested on Monday  in Mombasa County  and brought to Machakos  where He has been in custody before  been arreigned  in Court on Wednesday afternoon. 

Appearing before Principal Magistrate Mary Otindo , Mwendwa pleaded not guilty of the charge. He was released on a bond of Kes. 200,000 or a cash bail of Kes. 50,000 

Mention of this case was set for February 13, 2023. It is likely to be an scandalous hearing if both the governor and the activist dig in.

Boy rescued,four held in kidnap ordeal

By Gastone Valusi

 in Machakos.

Police in Matungulu Sub-county, are holding four men in connection with the kidnapping  of a three-year-old child who had gone missing from his home at Nguluni trading centre on Sunday last week.

Elephants kill villager in Masinga

Inaction on elephants
leads to death of villager

By Vincent Matheka in Masinga

Three elephants roaming through villages in Masinga

A man has been trampled to death by elephants marauding villages in Machakos County.

The incident happened this afternoon at Makutano Ma Ndei, Mukusu sub-location in Masinga Sub County.

The three elephants were earlier reported to be roaming through villages in Kaewa and Musumaa sub locations of Masinga in Machakos County,  sending panic among residents.

Life for the villagers has been disrupted as they ran helter-skelter as they await intervention from Kenya Wildlife Services.

The jumbo are believed to have escaped from the nearby Mwea Game Reserve. This morning,  one of the jumbo trampled upon a goat in the unfolding scenarios.

 By the time of going to press, no action had been taken by either local administration of the KWS.

Matinyani School turns the tables

When a name and
size does not matter

By Mercy Mueni in Kitui

Matinyani Boys Secondary school has proved it's academic prowess after flooring well known schools not only in Eastern Region but in Kenya.

Staff unrest at Machakos University

By Mueni Mutua 

Machakos University workers  today downed their tools over delayed promotions and claims of  failed attempts to meet with management. 

Speaking to the Media on Monday morning the Kenya University Staff Union(KUSU)  Machakos Branch Secretary General Sylvanus Mwanzia pointed out that  the issues they want addressed have been outstanding since 2016 and cannot wait any longer.

"We are a very agitated lot because since 2016 we have been getting lies, and as a union we have always advised our Members to be patient,But its time we demanded what belongs to us".Mwanzia reiterated. 

They are However expected to present their petition to the Institutions Vice Chancellor Prof.Lucy Irungu on Tuesday morning.

Giant Schools Missing in Action

Giant Ukambani schools miss
out in  2022 KCSE top league

 By Gastone Valusi in Machakos

Though there is a general feeling that schools in Lower Eastern performed well in the 2022 KCSE exams, an analysis of the listing shows that schools from the region rank poorly compared to schools in other parts of the country.

From a casual scanning of results, it is possible that Mangu High School alone produced more A plain(81) grade than all schools combined in Lower Eastern.

Dr. Kituku

Mr Katuku

It is curious that while the region's top performing school- Matinyani Boys scored a mean grade of 9,94 and will send the entire 2022 cohort of students to the universities, it still lagged behind other schools that posted  the mean score  beyond 10 points.

 

Questions are being raised as to how the top schools from Lower Eastern- Machakos School, Makueni School, Kitui School, St Charles Lwanga and others in that league, though they will send good numbers to the universities, are missing from the list of top performers.

It is also noted that more Girl schools than boys schools in the region performed well in the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary School Education. Out of 20 schools with a mean score of 7 points and above 10 were girl schools while the boys schools were 6 with 4 being mixed schools. Notable performers include AIC Sombe Girls under leadership of Mrs Anne Mutinda. It shot to the third best school in Kitui County, beating a national School- Muthale Girls.

Schools in Kitui County seemed to top the region followed by schools in Makueni with Machakos County coming third in that order. In the list of 20 top schools in the region,only three are in Machakos County and their mean scores are way below their equivalents in other regions. ( See list herein)

1. Matinyani Boys 9.94, 2.Kitui School 9.31, 3.Kathiani Girls 9.11,  4.Mbooni Girls 8.91,

5.AIC Sombe Girls 8.54,  6.Makueni Boys 8.39,  7. St Charles Lwanga 8.11,  8.Machakos School 8.00,

9.Kisasi Boys 7.96,  10.Precious Blood Kilungu 7.92,  11.Kyangondu Mixed 7.90,  

12.Caring Hearts 7.76, 13.St Joseph Kibwezi 7.48,14. Misyani Girls 7.48, 15.Mwaani Girls 7.20, 

16.Kavingoni Secondary,7.18, 17.Kisau Girls 7.16, 18. Machakos Girls 7.14, 19. Makueni Girls 7.10,

 20. Kaumoni Boys 7.06

Speaking to The Anchor  in an interview today, Former Machakos County Health Executive Dr Ancent Kituku said the dismal performance in Machakos County could be attributed to lack of unity between leaders in addressing matters to do with education.

Dr Kituku, said professionals in other regions have joined the Board of Management of various schools and are usually at hand to offer advice whenever the schools in the region do not perform well.

"The leadership in our region both political and religious does not seem to care much about education. They have left it to the Ministry to education and do not hold meetings to review the performance of our schools,"said Dr Kituku. He says the community needs to motivate teachers and pool resources to upgrade school infrastructure such as labs and libraries in order to boost performance in the region.

Some former academic giants in the region like Kitui School,Mbooni Girls and St Charles Lwanga bounced back to the limelight while some small schools also made their mark in the list of top performing schools.

Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Training (Kuppet) Executive Secretary Mr Musembi Katuku attributed the trend to hard work by teachers and students in the schools. "Some small schools are putting a lot of effort and that's why they have good results but we are not condemning the big schools. They have done their part," he said.

Mutula launches Jhpiego project

 

Bill and Melinda Gates
funds Makueni program

Nairobi: January 23, 2022

Makueni is among the selected counties that will benefit from a five-year program whose overall goal is to accelerate and scale quality Post-Partum Family Planning services within its Primary Health Care facilities.

KCSE at a glance

KCSE 2022 Performance at a glance in Lower Eastern 

Matinyani Boys 9.942

Kitui School 9.312

Kathiani Girls 9.1253

Mbooni Girls 8.911

AIC Sombe Girls 8.548

Makueni Boys 8.399

St. Charles Lwanga 8.180

Muthale Girls 8.110

Kisasi Boys 7.965

Precious Blood Kilungu 7.92

Kyangondu Mixed 7.905

Caring Hearts High 7.76

St. Josephs Kibwezi 7.488

Misyani Girls 7.482

Mwaani Girls 7.209

Kavingoni Sec, Kathonzweni 7.181

Kisaú Girls 7.165

Machakos Girls 7.140

Makueni Girls 7.102

Kaumoní Boys 7.065

Kitondo School 7.04