Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana has been all over the news and for what is pretty much a rare occurrence in Kenya, it is for all the right reasons.
The county boss, who is serving his second and final term, has been applauded by Kenyans for being a reformist and industrial driven by getting the highest job approval rating with 55 percent and leading a county the way it is expected.
Kibwana is being hailed, for among others, implementing free Universal Health Care for his people especially the elderly, launching a fruit processing plant in a bid to promote farmers and agriculture in the dry county.
He recently put to work Kikima Dairy Plant enabling fresh milk production which processes and sells Makueni Fresh milk brand.
Speaking on Friday in his office, Kibwana said the Makueni County Government has commissioned cooling and processing plants to areas such as Mbooni to help farmers sell their surplus milk without going bad.
“We started by subsidising Artificial Insemination, we made sure we have drugs and paid for them to make sure the suppliers keep supplying drugs. We made sure that dispensaries are enough, we currently have 110 dispensaries since they take most of the load,” Kibwana said.
On universal healthcare, Makueni government started an initiative of putting people with cancer under observation and offering free treatment to persons over the age of 65 complete with free drugs, x-rays, and in-patient services.
“We piloted the project for 65 years and above from 2014, a lot of old people came, they don’t pay for drugs, x-rays, in-patient. Households with people under 65 years old pay Ksh.500,” Kibwana added.
The Wiper Chairman has however set straight that this will be the last term in office, hoping to quit politics in 2022 and spend time with his family after a fan proposed he runs for the presidency in 2022.
"Am quitting politics when my term ends, it's time for my family," Kibwana said.
Makueni County which was once at verge of being dissolved due to poor governance especially from the County Assembly after Makueni residents forwarded a petition is on its path of reformation.
The recent project which Kibwana has done is the Kaiti river water project which can produce up to 1.2 million daily liters of water for Makueni residents.
The project was commissioned by the governor together with the redcross Secretary general Abbas Gullet.
#historynow