Makueni tops in use of resources

Makueni County has been recognised for its prudent use of public resources.

The county, under Governor Kivutha Kibwana, was praised for committing resources to high-value-for-money initiatives and for transparency in moderating public participation discourse.

The award was given by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Kenya Forum for Sustainable Development.

Makueni’s was one of the seven awards given to various stakeholders for their contribution in the realisation of SDGs, a global initiative that outlines a framework for a better future by 2030.

The awards were given during a two-day multi-stakeholders forum on SDGs held at the Lukenya Resort from December 5 to 6.

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The Standard Media Group was named the Best Media in the coverage of SDGs in 2019.

Also recognised in the inaugural award ceremony included the Government through The Kenya Parliamentary Caucus on SDGs and Business, an initiative of the late Kibra MP, Ken Okoth.

Global Compact Network Kenya won under the Private Sector category for its role as a special initiative of the United Nations Secretary-General, working with companies globally to align their operations and strategies with 10 universal principal areas of human rights, labour environment and anti-corruption.

Community engagement

Under the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) category, Polycom took home the award for its community engagement and organisation of communities in the informal sector.

The outfit that started as a self-help group turned out to be a mouthpiece for the protection of adolescent girls from sexual manipulation and violence.

Currently, Polycom has grown to represent over 6,000 girls in 50 informal schools and works with over 400 women from informal settlements.

The winner of Youth CSOs Award category was Champions for SDGs. The forum took the award for demonstrating that “we should not be limited by age, numbers or resources in sharing information and knowledge about what needs to be happening”.

Special category

Sadiki Ridhiwani, who won under the special category of Citizen SDGs Champion, stole the show at the event. An emotionally overwhelmed Ridhiwani was described as “being nothing short of stubborn in pursuing the mainstreaming of SDGs at the local level through the Citizen Network for Rural Development Kenya”.

Dr Elizabeth Wala, co-chair of the SDGs Kenya Forum, praised him as a unique individual, relentless in creating awareness at the local level, traversing Taita Taveta County and beyond taking knowledge about SDGs to the grassroots.