Introduction

11

Makueni County

INTRODUCTION

Makueni County is in the eastern region of Kenya and borders Kajiado, Kitui, Machakos, and Taita-Taveta counties. It covers an 8,035–square kilometer area in a low-lying terrain from 600 meters above sea level at the southern area in the Tsavo region to 1,900 meters in Mbooni Hills in Mbooni Constituency (map 11.1). The county’s political framework includes six constituencies—Kaiti, Kibwezi East, Kibwezi West, Kilome, Makueni, and Mbooni—and there are 30 County Assembly wards. The county’s administrative framework includes nine subcounties: Kathonzweni, Kibwezi, Kilungu, Makindu, Makueni, Mbooni East, Mbooni West, Mukaa, and Nzaui; within these there are 32 divisions.

Makueni County’s population was 987,653, and average population density was 121 per square kilometer in 2019 (KNBS 2019), with an average population growth rate of 0.96 percent. The county has a population dependency ratio of about 95 percent, much higher than the national average of 78.3.

Agricultural production is one of the main economic activities in Makueni County (Makueni County 2018a). The top three cash crops produced include tomatoes, assorted vegetables, and baby corn, while cattle and goats are the most traded livestock. In the trade and commerce sector, there are 17,390 registered businesses, of which 6,441 (or 37 percent) are canteen and retail shops. Other common business entities include hotels and butcheries (1,772); clothing, textiles, and cloth making (1,560); barbers and salons (1,213); restaurants (1,027); and mobile telephone service traders (882). There are six water service companies. Mining and quarrying are also important economic activities, with 24 sand-harvesting sites, two granite-quarrying sites, and four stone and aggregate quarrying sites (World Bank 2018). There are two game parks that not only serve the county but the country as a whole: Chyulu Game Reserve and the Tsavo West National Park. The two parks receive more than 50,000 tourists annually (KNBS 2017).

The Constitution 2010 sets decentralized functions of the county government: agriculture, health, control of pollution, cultural activities, transport, animal welfare, trade and development, county planning and development, preprimary education, village polytechnics, home craft centers and early childhood education, environmental conservation, public works, and local community public participation. The Urban Areas and Cities Acts—UAC Act