This archive report was first published on 6 January 2020.
Published on January 6, 2020, a group of Murang'a leaders and farmers have urged Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri to revise the Livestock Bill 2019 before it is presented to Parliament.
The leaders, affiliated with the Civic Renewal Party (CRP), have criticized a section of the bill that mandates farmers to register all their livestock, terming it 'draconian.'
James Mwangi, an official with the CRP, led a group of farmers in a press conference on Friday, accusing the CS of attempting to restrict farmers' freedom to keep livestock.
According to Mwangi, subsection 169 of the bill requires farmers to register even bees, which he deemed 'incredible.'
The officials also faulted the Ministry of Agriculture for failing to conduct adequate public participation before drafting the bill.
They warned that if the contentious sections are not repealed, they will mobilize farmers and stage a demonstration at the offices of the Agriculture CS.
Under the proposed law, a farmer who fails to register their livestock could face a fine of Sh. 100,000 or a one-year jail term, or both.
