MBOONI, Kenya – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has urged the government to abandon what he termed as an “arrogant” approach toward its controversial livestock vaccination programme and instead focus on educating and persuading farmers.
Speaking at a burial in Mbooni on Wednesday, Gachagua criticized government officials for resorting to insults when addressing concerns raised by Kenyans opposed to the campaign.
“There is no need to insult Kenyans opposed to the vaccination programme,” Gachagua said. “Talk to them softly and convince them why vaccination is important for their animals. In any case, those are their livestock.”
The government plans to vaccinate 22 million cattle across the country starting January, in what President William Ruto describes as a strategic effort to curb livestock diseases and boost Kenya’s competitiveness in global markets.
“To ensure farmers fully benefit from international opportunities, we will implement a broad vaccination programme using locally-produced vaccines to reduce disease prevalence in line with global standards,” President Ruto said on Sunday.
However, the initiative has been met with resistance, with some livestock farmers accusing the government of failing to adequately educate the public on the programme’s benefits and potential risks.
The Kenya Veterinary Association (KVA) has also weighed in, calling for a suspension of the campaign to allow for more robust public participation and stakeholder engagement.
KVA National Chairman Kelvin Osore on Tuesday criticized the government for sidelining key stakeholders during the programme’s development.
“There was no stakeholder engagement,” Osore said. “We were not consulted at the conception stage, and the government only approached us recently after public backlash.”
Osore also questioned the transparency of the programme, demanding clarity on the specific diseases targeted, the rationale behind the vaccination, and the identities of its sponsors.
Concerns raised by the government regarding controlling greenhouse gas emissions from livestock, Osore added, are not an immediate priority for Kenyan farmers who face more pressing challenges.
Gachagua echoed similar sentiments, urging government officials to replace their “arrogance” with dialogue.
“Speak to livestock farmers politely and explain the significance of vaccination. If they say they don’t want it, that is their right because it is their livestock,” he said.
Speaking at a burial in Mbooni on Wednesday, Gachagua criticized government officials for resorting to insults when addressing concerns raised by Kenyans opposed to the campaign.
“There is no need to insult Kenyans opposed to the vaccination programme,” Gachagua said. “Talk to them softly and convince them why vaccination is important for their animals. In any case, those are their livestock.”
The government plans to vaccinate 22 million cattle across the country starting January, in what President William Ruto describes as a strategic effort to curb livestock diseases and boost Kenya’s competitiveness in global markets.
“To ensure farmers fully benefit from international opportunities, we will implement a broad vaccination programme using locally-produced vaccines to reduce disease prevalence in line with global standards,” President Ruto said on Sunday.
However, the initiative has been met with resistance, with some livestock farmers accusing the government of failing to adequately educate the public on the programme’s benefits and potential risks.
The Kenya Veterinary Association (KVA) has also weighed in, calling for a suspension of the campaign to allow for more robust public participation and stakeholder engagement.
KVA National Chairman Kelvin Osore on Tuesday criticized the government for sidelining key stakeholders during the programme’s development.
“There was no stakeholder engagement,” Osore said. “We were not consulted at the conception stage, and the government only approached us recently after public backlash.”
Osore also questioned the transparency of the programme, demanding clarity on the specific diseases targeted, the rationale behind the vaccination, and the identities of its sponsors.
Concerns raised by the government regarding controlling greenhouse gas emissions from livestock, Osore added, are not an immediate priority for Kenyan farmers who face more pressing challenges.
Gachagua echoed similar sentiments, urging government officials to replace their “arrogance” with dialogue.
“Speak to livestock farmers politely and explain the significance of vaccination. If they say they don’t want it, that is their right because it is their livestock,” he said.
