African Woman and Child Feature Service

South eastern Kenya trade fair took place at the Machakos Stadium recently. The fair was organised by a development initiative known as Mutui Museo (the good neighbour) with support from the Investment Authority.

Exhibitors were from all over the region. Traders from Kitui County showcased mineral deposits, honey, beads, calabashes, quivers, water melons, baskets, mats, drums, pots and wood carvings among other items that can be found within the region.

“The trade fair is a continuous exercise. Kitui County will be the host next year followed by Makueni County in 2013,” explained Mulang’a (first name and title???). Teachers, business people and the clergy are among key stakeholders targeted for the county’s development.

Among the region’s attractions are rocks, hills and valleys as well as the South Kitui National Game Reserve. There are several villas, decent and superb hotels among them the Kitui Parkside Villa, Kitui Resort Club, M&M as well as Talents Hotels.

Professor Eliud Mathu, who is the event’s steering committee chairman is also geology lecturer at the South Eastern University College (SEUCO) based in Kitui. He said SEUCO is ready to help in the mining of cement in Mutomo area within the county.

“We look at the opportunities and reduce the threats. We look at the strengths and reduce the weaknesses. We in the Kitui County want to move ahead,” Mathu said. He added: “We (the SEUCO) will continue doing research and development for mineral resources in Kitui.”

He observed that water harvesting technology and knowledge was needed for water projects to succeed in the region since there is a lot of water under the rocks within the vast county.

Mathu called upon the locals to invest in water. He cited Israel which is a desert but is a country where people there do not have water problems because they have invested a lot in water harvesting.

At the same time the colonial Matinyani market in the Kitui County has been re-opened after its development stalled 60 years ago. The market, which is within the Kitui Municipality area, was started by the colonial government in the 1940s but stalled before it actually took off.

It was recently officially re-opened by the area civic leader Kathukya Munguti and the locational chief Franklin Paul Nduu. The ceremony was attended by people from the Matinyani, Kyangwithya, Nzambani, Kasyala, Tiva, Kabati, Tulia, Miambani and Kwa Vonza among many other parts of the county.

The market days will be Tuesday and Saturday. Both the councillor and the chief called for traders to come from Kitui and other parts of the country.

“We appeal to everybody to come and sell or buy products which include livestock, fowls, cereals and vegetables at the market,” they said.

According to Chief Nduu Matinyani market stalled because it was swallowed by Kitui and Kabati towns. “We decided to revive the market after we were given our district (Matinyani) last year,” he said.

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