Githunguri Member of Parliament Gathoni Wamuchomba has faulted the government’s vaccination plan on 22 million heads of cattle in the country.
In a statement shared on her X account on Thursday, November 28, 2024, Wamuchomba termed the exercise as an exercise driven by external forces.
“This is not our idea. This is a foreign idea being pushed to us with some clear intentions and deliverables. Listening to the president, it is clear that the idea is a ‘climate change’ move that is supposed to help us reduce the release of methane in the air,” Wamuchomba stated.
“The plan, which has the full support of the international research institutions wants to introduce gene-modifying drugs into Kenyan livestock in order for them to stop emitting methane into the air. This is absurd. We have had these animals for centuries. We have valued these animals as part of our heritage.”
Wamuchomba faulted President William Ruto for failing to engage the public before announcing the move, which she says could have massive negatie outcome.
“It is important for the president of Kenya, before pronouncing such kind of plans, to engage the people of Kenya very heavily. It is not okay for the president to go to an international meeting and agree to vaccinate our animals without our consent,” she added.
“Those behind this plan claim that the animals’ natural release of intestinal gas into the atmosphere as a means of relief from normal feeding and flatulent process is a hazardous process to the environment. This is not something to be taken lightly.”
According to Wamuchomba, the vaccines to be used have been developed overseas and have not been adopted in their countries of origin.
“They want us to stop producing our own food and make sure that we are dependent on their own food. This is a globalist idea that comes with a lot of negative impacts. I reject this experimental programme in totality. Let everybody know that we will resist them till the very end. The vaccination hurts our animals and our cultural heritage, endangers our people genetically, our animals genetically, interferes with the productivity and reproductivity of these animals and in totality has some cost implications,” she noted.
Agriculture CS on vaccination
This comes days after Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Andrew Karanja defended a nationwide vaccination drive that is targeting 22 million animals in Kenya.
In a statement on Thursday, November 21, 2024, Karanja said the government will use vaccines manufactured in Kenya by the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI).
According to the CS, the vaccination drive is aimed at combatting transboundary diseases to protect the dairy sector and ensure its sustainability.
“Starting January 2025, Kenya will launch a nationwide Animal Vaccination Campaign targeting 22 million livestock to combat transboundary diseases, aims to protect the dairy sector and ensure its sustainability,” he stated.
“The vaccination program will rely on locally manufactured vaccines from the @VetBoardKE Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI), a state corporation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. KEVEVAPI is instrumental in producing, marketing, and distributing vaccines for livestock diseases, including foot-and-mouth disease, Rift Valley fever, and Newcastle disease.”
Karanja dispelled reports that the drive was influenced by external forces seeking to test their vaccines in the country.
“We are vaccinating because there are transboundary diseases, like foot-and-mouth disease which is transboundary. When one county vaccinates and the other neighbouring county vaccinates, it’s a waste of resources. We are vaccinating all the 22 million animals in Kenya and we will be doing that with vaccines produced in Kenya, not any importation. There is no ulterior motive in that. It is to ensure that our dairy sector is safe,” he added.
Ruto announces vaccination drive
In early November 2024, President William Ruto announced that the government would embark on a nationwide livestock vaccination programme against diseases in January 2025.
Ruto said 22 million cattle and 50 million goats and sheep will be vaccinated.
He explained that the programme will help prevent animal diseases and thus secure the international market for livestock products.
“This will ensure we access both national and international markets for our livestock products,” Ruto said.
The President noted that the government has allocated Ksh1 billion for restocking livestock lost during the drought in the northern part of the country.
