News Categories: Development

Yesterday H.E the Governor spared some time to inspect the progress of the construction of Ngong Sub County Hospital’s ultra modern maternity facility. It is incredible to see the dedication to improving healthcare within the community.

The county government’s commitment to quality healthcare extends to all aspects of life. He also had the privilege of commissioning the Ngong Funeral Home.

This is a big relief to residents of Kajiado North and West who have to go to Nairobi for funeral services.

Kajiado’s Journey To Enabling Access To Quality Education For All

Kajiado, a pastoralist county, had lagged behind in education due to a cocktail of historical marginalisation, inequalities, and harsh climatic conditions that hindered access to learning. The transition of pupils from one level to another was below average. There was heavy wastage among graduates of each academic level, as they were unable to proceed with education. At pre-primary school level, malnutrition and general food insecurity at home hindered many children from enrolling. Others dropped out. Some got lost in harmful cultural practices, such as early marriages and FGM. To address this, the County Government introduced fortified porridge in ECDE centres to encourage learners to stay in school. This nutritional porridge benefits 40,000 children every year.

At the same time, the County Government engaged more than 700 teachers on permanent and pensionable terms, thereby improving the teacher-pupil ratio from 1:46 to 1:38, in the last five years. The County Government expanded and modernised ECDE facilities with more than 170 of them being operational. This ongoing expansion increased enrolment from 37,687 pupils in 2017, to 41,005 today. Up the academic ladder, the County Government strived to keep thousands of secondary, college/ university students in school through issuance of bursaries and scholarships. It reformed the bursary issuance formula by decentralising it to ward level. Through the new scheme, Kajiado County raised the number of beneficiaries from 3,000 in 2017 to the current 10,000. So far, 35,000 students have benefited, in addition to 430 students who are on full scholarships. The bursary kitty rose from Ksh40 million in 2017 to Ksh175 million this year. The County Government also supported renovation and construction of new primary schools where students were learning in deplorable conditions. In Kajiado East alone, it constructed three complete schools from scratch: Ilkulunyeti, Isinya township, and Dr Likimani. This gave an academic lifeline to more than 3,000 pupils

At secondary school level, the County Government supported the construction of nine dormitories, six laboratories and administration blocks, and three multi-purpose halls that also serve as dining halls. All these efforts are geared towards creating an enabling environment for learning. The County Government has gone a notch higher, bringing together representatives from the Ministry of Education and Teachers Service Commission, and all principals in the region, chairmen of the boards of management and parents associations, to strategies for improving the grades students. These stakeholders’ mantra is “Grade si Grade Tu”. WORLD FOOD SAFETY DAY NYERI COUNTY Kajiado’s journey to enabling access to quality education for all Theme: 10 Years of Devolutuion: The Present and the Future COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF KAJIADO An equipped workshop at Namelok Vocational Training Centre. Governor Lenku during one of the many bursary and scholarship issuance ceremonies in Kajiado North. Governor Lenku joins ECD pupils for a cup of fortified porridg

H.E. Joseph Lenku commissioned a new class block and four ultra-modern dormitories with a capacity of two hundred students at The Namelok Vocational Training Institute. The institution has for the longest time experienced low student intake ratios and it is hoped that once completed, the dormitory will accommodate more students with an unprecedented intake of more than two hundred students set for May this year. Among these will be beneficiaries of the Vijana Tujiajiri Programme; a paid partnership between the County Government of Kajiado and The KCB Foundation that seeks to empower and equip needy and out of school youth with technical skills that will enable them to pursue self-employment opportunities.

During the function, the Governor also inspected the ongoing works at the practical’s workshop and revealed that Ksh16M had been set aside by The County Government to equip the new workshop once completed. He said empowerment of the youth through skills training was one of his administration’s key development pursuits in line with the Big Four Agenda on manufacturing, job creation and youth empowerment.

“The youth are taking over leadership roles in the County and we need to empower them through technical skills training and critical thinking,” said Lenku.

At the same time, The Governor challenged the youth to seek admission to technical institutions and pursue skills-based trainings in diverse fields such as electrical engineering, fashion, design, beauty therapy and masonry just to mention but a few.

“Technical skills training will not only mold learners to settle for employment upon graduation but empower them and offer them opportunities to be employers through startup businesses,’’ he added.

Lenku also challenged stakeholders in the education sector to tailor make course content with due regards to the needs of the localities in which the technical skills will be used.

In its current state, the Namelok Vocational Training Institute accommodates a mere seventy students and over the years has had to turn back students during enrolment due improper and insufficient infrastructure.

The County Government through H.E the Governor has launched a series of projects among them the Kitengela bus park, the deliverance road that leads to the railway and soon to follow the Saitoti road. The cabinet at the national level has also approved the construction of a modern railway station in Kitengela.

The continued partnership with the national government has realized fruits in our development agenda. Kajiado County is gradually becoming an anchor in business, culture and a hub of prosperity.

H.E the Governor urges all of us to put petty politics aside and work together to move this great County towards where we envision it.

H.E the Governor has launched a developmental affirmative action, for Mosiro ward, one of the most marginalized wards in the County.
In an elaborate tour with his senior county officials, Governor Lenku said never again will Mosiro Ward be abandoned the way it has been by past regimes.” You are part of Kajiado County. You shall not weep again for the developmental discrimination you have suffered. I have a special focus on the very rural areas which have not seen any tangible development in the past,” said Governor Lenku at a public rally in Mosiro town.
Before the rally, H.E the Governor commissioned the Emparbal water project where hundreds of local residents will now be drawing clean and fresh water.
Together with Medical Services Chief Officer, Jacob Sampeke, the Governor also inspected Mosiro Dispensary which attends to 20 patients daily as well as being the only health facility that offers maternity services in the Ward.
Accompanied by Chief Officers Douglas Konana (Water) and Leakey Ritei (Agriculture), the Governor inspected the ongoing construction of Mosiro Irrigation Scheme. The project with a capacity of 28 Million liters will be constructed at a cost of Ksh 30 Million. It is expected to be complete by June next year. “Under my Watch, Mosiro will never be discriminated against the way it has been. The irrigation scheme will greatly boost food security for these residents,” he said. The Governor also stated that the people of Emparbal can now draw clean and fresh water for the first time from the county’s water project.
“As an Affirmative Action on local youth, I have directed that Mosiro must have at least 50 youths in the next intake of the on-going County Vocational Skills Training Programme,” the Governor added.
The day long tour also saw area MCA Peter Tirishe hail the Governor for pledging to consider more local sons and daughters for county jobs