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
Religion (2019 Census)NumberCatholicism292,056Protestant 479,698Evangelical Churches 131,964African instituted Churches 36,575Orthodox981Other Christian13,030Islam6,559Hindu 57Traditionists892Other4,807No Religion Atheists8,817Don't Know1,478Not Stated101
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:- +County Executive CommitteeNumberThe Governor1The Deputy Governor1The County Secretary1The CEC Members10Total13
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
Other Divisions + Local authorities (councils)Authority Type Population*Urban pop.* Wote Town 56,419 5,542 Mtito Andei Town 24,435 4,304 Makueni County 690,691 18,689 Total - 771,545 28,535
+ Administrative divisionsDivision Population*Urban pop.*Headquarters Kaiti 46,107 501 Kilala Kalawa 14,039 0 Kalawa Kasikeu 35,719 1,848 Kasikeu Kathonzweni 65,738 0 Kathonzweni Kibwezi 80,236 4,695 Kibwezi Kilome 46,204 0 Mukaa Kilungu 67,741 0 Mukaa Kisau 50,510 1,905 Makindu 50,299 2,482 Makindu Matiliku 38,867 0 Matiliku Mbitini 48,729 3,266 Emali Mbooni 55,984 1,786 Mbooni Mtito Andei 66,663 3,966 Mtito Andei Ilima 32,717 0 Wote 40,353 4,708 Wote Total 771,545 25,157 -
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
See also Kitui County Machakos County Taita Taveta County Kajiado County
References
External links Makueni County Council http://www.aridland.go.ke/districts.asp?DistrictID=15 https://web.archive.org/web/20070628140851/http://www.drylandsresearch.org.uk/dr_kenya.html