Tuesday, 20 March 2018

Mutua to import 1 million beehives to ‘sting’ growth to county

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua meets with Hive Africa officials at his office on March 20, 2018. PHOTO | COURTESY

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua on Tuesday lit up Twitter with his new 1 million beehives project.

The governor announced his plan to import beehives and distribute them across the county to eradicate poverty. The project will be managed by Hive Africa, a firm that undertakes similar projects across African countries.

Mutua’s announcement was quickly met by a reminder from Machakos residents of his previous unfulfilled promise to distribute poultry chicken to households to boost their incomes.

The governor’s new beekeeping project will see 100,000 household in the county receive 10 beehives each. He expects the project to generate Sh50,000 per month for each household.

The project, he said, will bring “a total of Ksh 5 billion of extra income for our people every year from bee keeping.”

“This partnership will be managed by our Ministry of Agriculture and I encourage farmers to take up this initiative as we strive to diversify our product base and increase sources of livelihoods for our people of Machakos,” Mutua wrote.

On Twitter, users questioned the poverty eradication model adopted by governor Mutua, while others reminded him of the untalked about chicken project.

That’s a good income initiative but don’t be fooled there is no such income as 50k a month I am a bee keeper don’t be fooled by those business people to give false hope to poor fellow Kambas. However that’s a very good passive farming income pic.twitter.com/ruXhauDAjY

— Jimdollare (@Jimdollare) March 20, 2018

In 2013 after winning the election, you started a poultry farming program, promising locks that you would buy the chickens from them when they were fully matured. 5yrs down the line and no chicken farms to be seen….cobra squad continues.

— martin (@kingmarto1) March 20, 2018

There is a huge market for natural honey in southern Africa and Israel. Great job.

— Matthew Mutiso (@mattmortise) March 20, 2018

What happened to the free chicks project in your first term. Let us know before you build another castle in the air.

— JAMES KYAMA MUTUNGA (@Kyamamutunga) March 20, 2018