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Makueni County
County in Kenya
Makueni County is a county in the former Eastern Province of Kenya. Its capital town is Wote. It's the largest town in the county. Emali town which is an important market and stop over for the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), is another major town in the county. It is multicultural and adds diversity to Makueni County. The county had a population of 987,653 in the 2019 census. The county lies between Latitude 1° 35' and 2° 59' South and Longitude 37° 10' and 38° 30' East. It borders Machakos County to the North, Kitui County to the East, Taita Taveta County to the South and Kajiado County to the West and covers an area of 8,008.9 km2.
Physical and topical features
The county has a number of prominent features in including volcanic Chyullu hills which lie along the South West border of the county Mbooni hills in Mbooni sub county and Kilungu and Iuani hills in Kaiti sub county, Makongo forest and scenic view, Makuli forest and Nzaui hill.
Climatic conditions
The county experience semi-arid climatic conditions with an average temperature range between 15C – 26C and Annual rainfall ranges between 250mm to 400mm per annum on the lower regions of the county and the higher region receives rainfall ranging from 800mm to 900mm.
Demographics
The county has a total population of 987,653 of which 497,942 females and 20 intersex persons. There are 77,495 household with an average household size of 5.8 persons per household and a population density 6 people per square kilometre.
Religion
Religion in Makueni County
Administrative and political units
Administrative units
There are 6 sub counties, 16 divisions, 63 locations and 127 sub-locations.
Sub-counties
Makueni
Kilome
Kibwezi East
Kibwezi West (Makindu)
Kathonzweni
Mbooni west
Mbooni East
Political units
It has 6 constituencies and 30 county assembly wards and 60 sub-wards.
Makueni constituency
Mbooni constituency
Kibwezi East constituency
Kibwezi West constituency
Kaiti constituency
Kilome constituency
Political leadership
Kivutha Kibwana is the first and former Governor after being elected in 2013 and 2017 general elections. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr is the current Governor and has been senator since 2013. Rose Museo Mumo is the first elected women representative and was re-elected in 2017 general elections.
For Makueni County, the County Executive Committee comprises:-
Members of parliament in Makueni County 2017–2022
Hon. Jessica Nduku Kiko Mbalu of Wiper democratic Movement Kenya Member of Parliament Kibwezi East Constituency.
Hon.Patrick Musimba as Independent Candidate Member of Parliament Kibwezi West Constituency.
Hon.Daniel Kitonga Maanzo of Wiper democratic Movement Kenya Member of Parliament Makueni Constituency.
Hon.Kimilu, Joshua Kivinda of Wiper democratic Movement Kenya Member of Parliament Kaiti Constituency.
Hon.Nzambia, Thuddeus Kithua of Wiper democratic Movement Kenya Member of Parliament Kilome Constituency.
Hon. Erastus Kivasu Nzyoka of Wiper democratic Movement KenyaMember of Parliament Mbooni Constituency.
Education
There are 78 ECD centres 997 primary schools and 375 secondary schools. The county has also 3 teachers training colleges, 37 Youth Polytechnics, 231 adult training institutions, 2 technical training institutions, 3 university campuses.
Health
There is a total of 156 health facilities, 726 hospital beds and 1261 cots in the county. County has 815 health personnel of different cadre.
HIV prevalence rate is 5.1% in 2017.
Transport and Communication
There is one air strip and 8 railway lines with total coverage of 140 km. The county is covered by 7670 km of road network. Of this 6,776 km is covered by earth surface, 706 km is murram surface and 188 km of surface is covered by Bitumen.
There are twenty post office with 4,850 installed letter boxes, 3,302 rented letter boxes, 1,548 vacant letter boxes and 31 licences stamp vendors.
Trade and Commerce
There are 420 trading centres, 17,390 registered businesses, 153 banking services (including agents & insurance, 882 mobile service providers and 382 agro-vets, chemists& pharmacies.
Universities and colleges in Makueni County
South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU) wote campus – The campus is located at Soi Plaza building, 2nd floor, above Equity Bank in Wote Town, the headquarters of Makueni County, and about 140 km from Kitui main campus. The campus began its operations in March, 2012. Currently, the campus has a student population of 315 who are taking classes in different regular, part-time and institutional-based programmes.
Wote Technical Training Institute
Kenya Medical Training College KMTC Makueni Campus.
Kenya Medical Training College KMTC Makindu Campus.
Kenya Medical Training College KMTC Mbuvo Campus.
Constituencies
Since 2010, county has six constituencies:
Mbooni Constituency
Kilome Constituency
Kaiti Constituency
Makueni Constituency
Kibwezi West Constituency
Kibwezi East Constituency
South Eastern Kenya Region
Urbanisation
Source: OpenDataKenya
Wealth/Poverty Level
Source: OpenDataKenya Worldbank
Villages and settlements
Astra Farm
Emali
Kandolo
Kikima
Nunguni
Mbeetwani
Notable people
Mutula Kilonzo - former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs
Jeremiah Kianga - former Chief of General Staff of the Kenya Defence Forces
Philip Waki - retired Judge and head of the 2008 Commission of Inquiry into Post-Election Violence
Philomena Mwilu - Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Kenya
Joseph Musyimi Lele Ndolo - first African Chief of General Staff of the Kenya Defence Forces
Winfred Yavi - 3000 metres steeplechase winner in the 2023 World Athletics Championships and 2024 Olympics Champion
Kivutha Kibwana - former Governor of Makueni County
Kamoya Kimeu - Paleontologist and Curator
Teresia Mbaika Malokwe - Environmentalist and Health Economist
Peter Kiilu - former Member of Parliament for Makueni Constituency
Nick Mwendwa - President of Football Kenya Federation
Gideon Ndambuki - Kenyan politician
Joseph K. Munyao - former Minister of Livestock and Fisheries