President William Ruto has responded again to criticism of the Ministry of Agriculture’s livestock vaccine initiative, questioning how it will differ from prior farmer immunization attempts.
Speaking in Nandi, Ruto highlighted that the fundamental distinction is that the government will pay for the vaccination, rather than farmers.
He explained that this ensures that all animals are vaccinated, regardless of their owner’s financial situation.
“Sisi wote tumekuwa tukiona ng’ombe zikichanjwa juu ya foot and mouth disease. Kwani io ugonjwa imekuja Kenya juzi? Unasema tusipate chanjo utuambie sasa tufanye nini?” he posed.
(We’ve all been seeing cows being vaccinated for foot-and-mouth disease. Does that mean this disease just came to Kenya recently?
“If you’re saying we shouldn’t get the vaccine, then tell us what we should do instead,” he said.
Ruto emphasized that the vaccine will not be mandatory, and farmers who reject it might opt not to participate.
He also stated that the program is intended to assist all cattle farmers, similar to how the government has funded the coffee industry and sugarcane millers.
The Head of State reaffirmed his call to leaders to refrain from politicizing the immunization drive, saying it was terrible that politicians were jeopardizing Kenyans’ livelihoods and the country’s economy.
Regarding cattle, Ruto indicated that the government has set out Sh2 billion for the leather value chain.
He indicated that enterprises in Ewaso Nyiro and Nairobi are already contributing to the production of leather goods.
“This is aimed at growing the livestock sector,” Ruto said. Narok West MP Gabriel Koshal Tongoyo thanked the national government for assisting livestock keepers with the vaccination campaign.
“What the government is doing is making sure that our products have more value and can access export markets,” he said.
He asked farmers to ignore opponents and vaccinate their livestock.
Their views come amid questions about the immunizations’ effectiveness.
Some livestock ranchers have raised fear that the initiative may be meant to harm their livestock.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the immunization push would target 22 million cattle and 50 million sheep and goats.
The government has informed animal owners that the vaccines are safe and made locally.
