Wednesday, December 18, 2024 - The government of President William Ruto has thrown in the towel on the planned nationwide vaccination of cattle after public uproar.
This is after it softened its
stance on the upcoming animal vaccination programme, scheduled to begin in
January 2025, targeting 20 million cattle and 50 million goats and sheep.
The initiative, reportedly
linked to American entrepreneur Bill Gates' climate project, had sparked
criticism among Kenyan citizens and political leaders.
Speaking during an interview,
Agriculture and Livestock Development Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke
clarified that the vaccination will be voluntary.
He emphasised that 85% of livestock
in Kenya are owned by smallholder farmers who rely on them as their primary
source of livelihood.
"Vaccination is not mandatory; it is voluntary. Why would we want to play politics with the livelihood of our poor people? Why would a politician go and tell a poor farmer that the government is coming to vaccinate your cattle so that you lose it? Don’t you agree?
"Why do we want to play politics with people’s lives? Why do we want
our people to stay poor?" Mueke questioned.
Drawing parallels to the initial
rejection of COVID-19 vaccines by many Kenyans, Mueke explained how public
attitudes shifted as the pandemic worsened.
He urged citizens to view the
vaccination program as a proactive measure to protect livestock and
livelihoods.
The PS also revealed that while
the government is exploring potential subsidies, the vaccines will cost KSh 150
per dose.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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