Kivutha Kibwana’s final message as he quits elective politics

Apart from his impressive career in politics also offered 30 years of his life to public service.

He served both as a lawmaker and as a governor, having made his debut as Makueni Member of Parliament in 2002, serving for one term.

After the promulgation of the current constitution that ushered in county governments, he made a comeback as the Makueni county boss, serving the maximum two terms.

Announcing his exit from elective politics, the former governor wrote:

"Today I announced that I have quit elective politics after serving the people of Makueni Constituency (2002-07) and Makueni County (2013-22), and 30 years of public service. Thanks be to God, my former students, co-workers, and those I served".

He was ranked among the best-performing governors and is credited with turning around the fortunes of Makueni county during his term as the governor.

In his first term, he endured a vicious fight for resources with MCAs with the scramble for resources almost seeing the governor lose his life.

Kivutha Kibwana at the fruit processing plant that was a game-changer for Makueni residents Pulse Live Kenya

He eventually gave up and sought the dissolution of the county before the stalemate was unlocked after three years, ushering in development.

Among the projects that were initiated was the fruit processing plant in Kikambala.

The factory, constructed at a cost of 500million provided a ready market for more than 12000 mango farmers who had previously been exploited by middle men and reduced post-harvest losses by between 30-40 percent.

Under his watch, the stalled Kikima dairy plant was revived to process and package milk.

The factory processes 7000 litres of milk every day, offering a lifeline to dairy farmers.

Access to clean water was also a focus of his administration with a merry-go-round initiative that saw households acquire 6000 water tanks with the support of the county government.