Education, ICT, and e-Government Service

Department overview

Functions of the County Governments as far as education is concerned are Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE), Youth Vocational Training Centres, Home Craft Centres as well as Childcare Facilities.

Pre-primary education

There are 1465 ECDE Centres in Nakuru; 771 of these are public while the rest 694 private. Enrolment in these child learning centres is 70, 714 and 40, 598 respectively. In all the public ECDE Centres, there are 5, 333 teachers and 2, 022 in private ones. Boys are 54, 337 in all the centres, while the number of girls is 56, 976.

Primary education

Nakuru County has 1077 primary schools: 681 public and 396 private; with a total enrolment of 435, 819 pupils translating to 220, 100 boys and 215, 719 girls.The number of teachers handling these pupils currently stands at 6, 803.

Secondary educations

The number of high schools in Nakuru County is 395: the number for both the public and private is 294 and 101 respectively.

These schools have a total enrolment of 110, 025 students. 84.74% of these are in public and 15.26% in private schools. Enrolment by gender is 56, 351 boys and 53, 674 girls.

Functions:

• Education
• Pre-primary Education (ECD).
• Vocational Training Centres (Village Polytechnics).
• Libraries excluding Kenya National Library Services.

Ict and E-Government

The county government of Nakuru is cognizant of the crucial role that ICT plays in the socio-economic development of the county and thus plans to improve ICT infrastructure and develop management systems to bridge the digital divide and improve service delivery to its citizens.

Functions:

• Promotion of e-Government services.
• Provision of ICT services to other county departments.
• ICT Training and Standards.
• Public Communication and dissemination of public information.
• Provision of Public Relations Services.

Lands, Housing and Physical Planning

Land And Its Uses In Nakuru County

Land is the main means of production for many people in Nakuru County. Therefore, sustainable use and management of land is critical in the growth and development of the county. About 72.5 per cent of lands in the county have title deeds. To ensure people living in areas with no title deeds have the legal documents for land ownership, the Department of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning will work closely with the National Government to ensure that these people get their titles. Efficiency in land surveying will also be stepped up through buying new and modern technology equipment as well as establishment of a GIS lab.

Spatial Planning

Nakuru County Spatial Plan 2014 – 2024

Among the top priorities of the Lands Department is the conclusion of the Nakuru County Spatial Plan 2014 – 2024. The County Government Act of 2012, article 104 – 107 is categorical that any development plans being made within the county must be aligned to the spatial plan.

Integrated Urban Structure Development Plan Through the Kenya Municipal Project

Through the Integrated Urban Structure Development Plan (IUSDP), Nakuru and Naivasha Town are getting a more detailed plan to guide developments in the areas. The (IUSDP) looks at the current space uses and proposes more efficient, effective and sustainable long term uses. Areas such as Barnabas and other centres in the county through the plan mentioned earlier will be made satellite centres to ease pressure of facilities in the Nakuru CBD. Planning of trading centres from the Sub-Counties, Wards and even at the village level is being undertaken. Among the centres that will benefit from this initiative include: Lengenet in Rongai sub-county, Longonot in Naivasha, Manyani in Nakuru East and Haji Farm in Subukia.

Housing

Affordable Houses

Department of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning is cognizant of the need to provide the people with quality, affordable, secure and houses. Houses that also give the people dignified sanitation services. The department is working together with stakeholders to rehabilitate county estate houses, most of which are dilapidated. Other initiatives geared towards provision of affordable and quality houses include partnership with the World Bank through its project dubbed Developing Partnerships to Deliver Affordable Housing as well as the domestication of the national program for slum upgrading.

Advocacy for Alternative Building Materials

Promotion of alternative building materials among the youth is also being undertaken using Youth Vocational Training Centres. Building block-making machines have been availed in Mirera, Kagoto and Molo Youth Vocational Training Centre which are in Naivasha, Bahati and Molo respectively.

Public Service Training and Devolution

The Department of Public Service Management and Administration (PSMA) is mandated to plan and implement policies and programmes that will lead to provision of efficient services to various County entities and members of the Public. The mandate is drawn from Article 235 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, and Section 56 of the County Government Act of 2012. The County Government Executive Order No. 1 of 2014 also defines the departmental responsibilities and relationship with other departments.

The department is headed by the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for PSM. The policy implementation arm is headed by the Chief Officer (CO) who is in charge of five directorates namely: Legal services, Human Resource Management, Enforcement, Administration and Public Affairs. It provides cross cutting services for the County Government. It also plays a key role in interdepartmental and external coordination services through sub-county administration and County law enforcement.

Mandate

The core mandate of the Department of Public Service Management and Administration is creation of structures, systems, procedures and policies necessary for efficient and effective functioning of the County Government, among others which including:

• Evaluation and Reporting.
• Organization and Staffing.
• Provide for Institutions, Systems and Mechanisms for Human Resource Utilization.
• Human Resource Management and Career Development Practices.
• Setting Standards to Promote Conduct and Professionalism in County Public Service.
• Service Delivery.

Health Services

The Nakuru County Government’s Department of Health Services is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the people of Nakuru have access to innovative, cost-friendly and dignified health services. This department is headed by a CEC Member. To assist him is a Chief Officer who in turn gets technical support from a County Director through a County Health Management Team (CHMT). The team comprises of a team of officers from various disciplines. These disciplines include the Nursing, Health Records & Information, Laboratory, Public Health among others. Currently, the population is served by a total of 657 Health facilities and 249 CUs. The core mandate of the department of health is promotion, regulation and provision of health care services to the people of Nakuru County.

Core Functions:

• Policy Implementation.
• Preventive and Promotive Health Services.
• Curative and Rehabilitative Health Services.
• Standards and Regulations.
• Monitoring and Evaluation of provision of Health care services.

Youth, Gender, Culture, Sports And Social Services

The Department of Youth, Gender, Culture, Sports and Social Services comprises of two sections: Culture, Gender, Social Services and Youth and Sports and Creation. Each of these two section is headed by a County Chief Officer.

Four directorates are housed under the auspices of these two sections, each headed by a County Director. They include Culture and Gender; Social Services; Sports then Youth. The first two directorates are under the section of Culture, Gender and Social Services, while the former two belong to Youth and Sports. The overall head of the department is the County Executive Committee Member.

Culture and Gender

This Directorate comprises of three units: Culture and Arts; Gender and Women Empowerment and Betting, Control Services. Functions of the Directorate are drawn from legal policy documents, Acts and the Constitution of Kenya 2010.

Social Services

The key mandate of this Directorate is to provide social protection and advocate care and support for the needs of special interest groups; provide community empowerment and manage infrastructure and facilities.

Sports and Recreation

The main mandate of the Sports and Recreation Directorate is to develop and nurture talents among residents of Nakuru County.

Youth

The Directorate of youth affairs came into force after the reorganization of the department. There was an executive order from the governor that necessitated this formation. The directorate is in the process of laying down its structures, it currently headed by an acting Director. The mandate of the Directorate of youth affairs is to empower the youth, youth mainstreaming in county development, coordination of youth issues and spearheading protection of youths from harmful cultural practices and exploitation.

Road transport and Public Work

Objectives of the department

Strategic objective

• To improve roads and infrastructure
• To enhance transport system
• To improve street lighting
• To enhance storm water management
• To improve firefighting and disaster management

Infrastructure

The Department of Infrastructure comprises Roads and Transport, additionally to Public Works and Disaster Management. Nakuru County being one of the biggest Kenya counties in terms of area as well as population. This signifies that the department of Infrastructure has a huge responsibility of providing services such passable roads, functional storm water drainage as well as rapid response to disasters among others against a backdrop of scarce resources.

Roads

Nakuru County has a total of 9, 654.10 Km of roads. These roads are classified into class A (International Trunk), B (National Trunk), C (Primary), D (Secondary), E (Minor), SPR (Special Purpose), U (Unclassified).

Agriculture being the lifeline of the people in almost all Nakuru’s sub-counties, enhanced connectivity through the provision of adequate roads by the County Government of Nakuru cannot be gainsaid.

Boresha Barabara Program

Passable roads enhance market access by farmers. They also facilitate ease of access to other services by the people. Increased economic activity that result from the boons of agricultural activities supported by a good road network attract other industries. As this happens, a shared infrastructure that supports industrial growth develops, spilling the economic benefit to the people.  This is the reason why from the onset of his term, H.E Governor Lee Kinyanjui has embarked on an ambitious transformative plan of grading and gravelling roads in all the 55 wards of Nakuru County dubbed ‘BORESHA BARABARA’.
This program is different and first of its kind as it aims for long term solution as opposed to short-term renovation whereby roads degenerate after three months.

Trade, Tourism, and Cooperatives

The government has identified the Big four as the key pillars for development. These include manufacturing, housing, healthcare and agriculture. The Department is driving and positioning Nakuru County as a manufacturing base as well as a hub for business, trade and finance.   The Departments main activities are geared towards creating a conducive and supportive environment for business, especially through appropriate legislative framework to support business and investment activities. It is also responsible for stimulating domestic and foreign investment and is working to upgrade the entire framework for attracting investment — the lifeblood of industrial activity. To this end the county is partnering with the private equity investors to develop the Naivasha Textile city (which has the capacity to employ over 50,000 workers), the Egerton Agri-city park and the Oserian 2 residential park.

Mandate

The Constitution of Kenya under schedule 4 has devolved the following functions that relate to Trade development and regulation, including: (a) markets;
(b) trade licences (excluding regulation of professions);
(c) fair trading practices;
(d) local tourism; and
(e) cooperative societies.

Role of Trade and Industrialization

• Provision of an enabling environment for domestic and foreign direct investment;
• Capacity building in technical, entrepreneurial and managerial skills for the industrial sector;
• Facilitation of the development and enforcement of quality standards
• Creation and promotion of market linkages for MSMIs;
• Facilitation of access to short, medium and long-term financing for MSMIs through bona-fide financial intermediaries;
• Monitoring and evaluation of project implementation and impact;
• Facilitating in protecting consumers from counterfeit products.

Role of Co-operatives

• Cooperative Financing policy
• Supervision and Oversight over Cooperative Societies
• Registration of co-operative societies
• Cooperative Audit services
• Coordination of development programs in the co-operative sub-sector
• Co-operative Production and Marketing
• Cooperative Legislation and Support Services
• Co-operative education and training
• Promotion of Co-operative Ventures
• Co-operative Financing Policy
• Co-operative Savings, Credit and Financial Services Policy

Water, Environment, Energy and Natural Resources

Functions:

• Environment policy management.
• Forestry development policy management.
• Wildlife conservation policy management.
• Waste water treatment and disposal.
• Solid waste management
• Enforcement of waste management policies, standards and regulations.
• Public nuisance, air and noise pollution control.
• Water catchment conservation, control and protection.
• Soil conservation.
• County parks, beaches and recreation facilities management.
• Energy regulation and conservation.
• Identification of renewable energy sites for development as per legal Notice No. 157.
• Borehole site identification and drilling.

Nakuru County Environment Profile

Water Bodies, Forests

Nakuru County is located in the South Rift Region, between Latitudes 00 13’N and 00 10’ and Longitudes 350 28’W and 350 36’ E. Out of the total county’s area; 202 Km2 is made up of water bodies which comprises three lakes: Naivasha (149 Km2), Nakuru (32Km2) and Elementaita (21Km2). About 0.09% of the county’s land mass which translates to 679.6 Km2 is the area considered to be the gazetted forest. This area is comprised mainly of Mau and Donduri forests. There are also six non-gazetted forests in the county. Taking into account the current forest cover, there is an urgent need for more afforestation so as to raise the forested area in the county to at least 10%.

Garbage Collection

On a daily basis, Nakuru County generates 200 tonnes of waste. 45% of this waste is collected and disposed. Disposal mainly takes place in dump site, the main dump site in Nakuru being Gioto. Per day, 80 – 100 lorryloads of waste are taken to Gioto. Over time, this dump site has been an eyesore to residents of Kimamunyi and London as well as people using the Nakuru – Eldama Ravine road, nonetheless, the County Government of Nakuru under the leadership of H.E Governor Lee Kinyanjui is rehabilitating the dumpsite.

Water Supply

At the moment water supply coverage in Nakuru County is at 66%. Hence, there is an immediate need to boost water supply in the county. Still many of the county residents cover a distance of six kilometers to get to the nearest water point, while others till continue to take between 1 – 4 minutes to fetch drinking water. Besides the water bodies mentioned earlier, Nakuru County is endowed with other natural water resources which include: rivers, shallow wells, springs, dams, pans and boreholes spread all over the county. Some of the major rivers are: Malewa, Njoro, Molo and Igwamiti.

Energy

Nakuru County hosts the nation’s complexes of geothermal power production. Olkaria complex has made Kenya one of the world’s leading geothermal power producer. This aspect has also made Naivasha to be earmarked for the establishment of an industrial park by the National Government due to its proximity to the Olkaria geothermal complex which will make power cheaper as well as facilitate other uses of steam direct from the wells.

Finance and Economic Planning

Functions:

• Mobilization of public resources.
• Management of County public procurement & disposal.
• Public investments management policy.
• Public investment oversight.
• Preparation of budget & management of the County Government Resources.
• Economic policy analysis & management.
• Promotion of Economic & Financial Governance.
• Management of Public department.
• Design & presentation of County Government financial management systems and standards.
• Custodian of County Government Assets and property.
• Custodian of official statistics in the County.
• Maintenance of a comprehensive and reliable County socio-economic database.
• Quality assurance of statistical information.
• Collection and compilation of statistical information.
• Analysis of statistical information.
• Publication and dissemination of statistical information for public use.
• Coordination, monitoring and supervision of the county statistical system.
• County development planning.
• Perform any other functions assigned by the Governor.

Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries

Nakuru county agriculture at glance

The fact that 70% of the total Nakuru County land is highly agriculturally productive, there is no doubt that if measures are put in place for the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices, many small hold farms in the county would transform into profitable and commercially oriented enterprises.

Most of the households in Nakuru County that depend on agriculture as their main economic activities are entrapped in drudgery that has continued to pauperize them year-in-year-out, harvest after harvest. This attributable to a number of bottlenecks along the value chains that have continually clogged farmers’ benefits.

A significant number of farmers in our County have an average land holding of 0.77 hectares (that is about 1.9 acres). 49% of these people are poor, whilst 36% of the county’s population is food poor. Over and above this, livelihoods of 60% of the county’s population that is either directly or indirectly employed by the agriculture sector are endangered.

About a third of people in the County don’t have access to healthy and nutritious food. In order to improve livelihoods of the hundred thousands of people who solely depend on agriculture, the County Government of is implementing the following measures to increase produ

• Crop husbandry and all related services.
• Animal and crop husbandry including all respective related services.
• Livestock sale yards.
• County abattoirs.
• Plant and animal disease control all related services.
• Veterinary services.
• Fisheries policy.
• Livestock policy management.
• Development and control of livestock.

Main Crops

243, 711 ha and 71, 416 ha of the Nakuru arable land are under food and cash crop farming respectively. The main crops produced in the county include: maize, beans, Irish potato and wheat. Horticultural crops are fruits, vegetables and flowers. Nakuru County has a lot of potential in the horticulture industry especially in the floriculture sub-sector. Last year, the county generated over Kshs 23 billion from the horticulture sector. Other valuable enterprises in Nakuru County include cereals, Irish potatoes and pulses. In 2016, the County realized approximately 180,388 tons of maize valued at Kshs 2.91 billion. For the last five years, maize production in Nakuru County has been declining due to a mix of factors such as prevalence of pest and diseases; climate risks; in addition to problems along the value chain. Nevertheless, Nakuru County has the potential to produce over 500,000 tons of maize if modern farming methods can be applied to increase production per unit area.

Livestock

Nakuru County is also endowed with a high capacity for livestock production. The main livestock reared include cattle, poultry, sheep and goats. Dairy industry is the leading livestock enterprise. Last year, the dairy industry generated Kshs 8.8 billion from milk sales.

Milk is sold through the local market as well as cooperatives such as Wanyororo, Suka, Njoro, Rongai, Kuresoi and Tegat among others. Other smaller enterprises in the livestock sector include poultry, beef, honey as well as hides and skin.

Fisheries

The three major fisheries activities carried out in the eleven sub-counties of Nakuru are; fish farming (aquaculture), inland and capture (Lake Naivasha, public and privately owned dams), fish inspection, quality assurance and marketing.

Aquaculture

This involves production in fish ponds which are earthen, cemented or lined. Some are practicing emerging technologies like raised ponds and aquaponics. These fish farming initiatives enhances fish production to ease fishing pressure in Lake Naivasha.

Capture fisheries

Lake Naivasha supports about 100 boats; 1,760 fishing nets of 4 inches mesh size, with over 704 fishermen directly and more than 3000 people indirectly. Fish produced in the lake is not only consumed locally but also exported out of the county. The lake production has increased over the years attaining 1080 MT of fish in 2016, landed in the waters of Lake Naivasha, valued at Kshs 141.9 million.