During the 2022 elections, Governor Dr. Kimani Wamatangi campaigned on a platform of change,
“Making Kiambu Great Again.” His mantra of a new administration and a new direction resonated
well with the public.
He rolled out his manifesto based on a number of core values that he believed would propel the county to greater heights. He expressed his desire for Kiambu to lead in prosperity
and wealth creation.
And the governor has fulfilled his part of the bargain.
Under the pillar of “Hudumia wanaKiambu,” the Governor initiated a culture change to ensure the
prudent management of public resources. He introduced a dome tent, affectionately nicknamed
Naivasha, which now serves as the venue for County Government officials; meetings.
The Governor proposed this tent as a cost-cutting measure to reduce escalating recurrent expenditure, avoiding unnecessary expenses associated with hosting county functions in hotels and other luxurious venues.
A report by the Controller of Budget, Dr. Margaret Nyakango, on the status of budget
implementation by counties, returned a favourable verdict on Governor Wamatangi due to the
austerity measures he introduced.
The County Government of Kiambu is in the final stages of introducing a game-changing digital
program.
The platform is a sophisticated and integrated technological application in the form of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.
Its goal is to digitize all government programs into a singular system, aiming to automate government services and improve revenue collection in the county.
This program is one of the five key pillars of Governor Wamatangi’s Manifesto for 2022-
2027, falling under the Governance Pillar, which aims to transform Kiambu County’s governance
system by instilling integrity, accountability, and transparency in service delivery.
The ERP system is holistic, covering financial management in all sectors such as hospital
management, building approvals, business permits, and other revenue charges while also exploring
additional revenue streams.
It includes a digital platform ensuring integrated data management,
such as human resources, fleet, biometric staff identification, e-cabinet, service delivery portal, among others. This comprehensive approach enhances efficiency and effectiveness, improving overall productivity within the government.
As part of the ‘Hudumia WanaKiambu’ action plan, Governor Wamatangi assented to the Kiambu
County Revenue Bill on December 7, 2023, after it received unanimous approval from the County
Assembly of Kiambu.
This Act establishes the Kiambu Revenue Authority, providing for the general
administration, collection of levies and fees, and enforcement of regulations related to revenue by the County Government of Kiambu. The law aims, among other things, to professionalize Own
Source Revenue collection, ensuring a service-centered approach without harassing or exploiting
traders.
The Governor promised to ensure that every eligible child is enrolled for ECDE and will prioritise th provision and upgrade of all the requisite facilities, teachers, and financial support to achieve a 100% enrolment rate within the first year in office.
The Kiambu “Leave No Child Behind” initiative aims to provide access to child-centred quality education for all children in Kiambu.
Governor Wamatangi has already initiated comprehensive nutritional support for over 38,000 children in Nursery schools, including free milk, nutritious uji, and an egg to every child in ECDE centres.
As part of Governor’s commitment to improving education in Kiambu County, his administration has undertaken a major overhaul of ECDE infrastructure.
Currently, the Department of Education, Gender, Culture and Social Services is working on 180 ECDE centres, with about 100 centres in various stages of implementation. “Our goal is to modernise all 524 ECDE centres by 2026,” the Governor says.
When the Governor took over, bursary was just Kshs 100 million issued once but within one year, he has tripled the annual bursary kitty to Sh300 million in 2023, and this year, it has been increased to Sh500 million, ensuring that no needy student misses out on education opportunities.
In terms of Healthcare Facility and Equipment maintenance and upgrades, under the ‘Wealth
Through Health’ initiative, Governor Wamatangi promised to maximise benefits from investments in
the healthcare sector.
He revived several stalled hospitals upon assuming office and launched over Sh1.5 billion in health projects since then, including completing stalled projects, constructing 13 new
facilities, and undertaking renovations. He immediately revived Githunguri, Thogoto, Lari, Wangige, Bibirioni and Tigoni hospitals.
His ‘Kiambu Afya’ or ‘Wamatangi Care’ plan, in collaboration with the National Hospital Insurance
Fund (NHIF), has enrolled over 70,600 households, benefiting more than 300,000 individuals, with
plans to extend coverage to nearly 500,000.
The County Government has also upgraded various sports facilities and initiated talent nurturing
programs through events like the ongoing Governors Football tournament.
Through the ‘Maji
Nyumbani’ program, Governor Wamatangi’s government has heavily invested in water infrastructure, securing funding for expanding the capacity of the Karemenu Dam to benefit Kiambu and neighbouring areas, addressing long-standing water shortages and enhancing water distribution.
Markets have been constructed across the county as part of supporting traders in the bottom of the pyramid.