This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
On Saturday, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya launched a mass livestock vaccination drive in Isiolo County, aimed at cushioning animals against possible disease outbreaks.
The drive, which will be conducted across the country, targets cows, goats, and sheep, vaccinating them against Peste Des Petits Ruminantes (PPR), Rift Valley fever, Foot and Mouth Disease, Contagious Bovine Pleural Pneumonia (CBPP), and Brucellosis. Dogs will also receive an anti-rabies jab.
Speaking at the Isiolo livestock market, Munya called upon County governments to allocate sufficient funds towards livestock disease control in every financial year, emphasizing that healthy animals are crucial for utilizing facilities such as markets, boreholes, and water pans.
Munya noted that Agriculture and Livestock are devolved functions, but a coordinated effort by all counties is necessary to effectively control livestock diseases, as animals move across counties in search of pasture, water, and markets.
The Isiolo County Executive Committee Member in Charge of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Lawrence Mwongela, stated that the devolved government had already vaccinated at least 340,000 animals this year, despite challenges of underfunding.
