Nakuru MCAs reject report on foot and mouth disease

Nakuru County Assembly has rejected a report by Agriculture committee on the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the region.

Ward reps rejected the report tabled in the House on Tuesday by the chairperson of Agriculture committee Daniel Kiriethe Mwangi saying that it was “shoddy.”

While responding to a request by nominated MCA Grace Mwathi who sought a statement on the status of the disease in the region, Mr Kiriethe denied that livestock had died and described the reports as “hearsay.”

LOST SIX COWS

Ms Mwathi who said she lost six cows, insisted that she was not satisfied by the report prepared by the chief officer Livestock Dr Enos Amuyunzu.

“I have a list of 100 farmers whose cows died following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Bahati and more are still dying,” she said.

Naivasha East MCA Stanley Karanja, a member of the Agriculture committee, said the statement was not discussed by the committee before being tabled in the House as required.

“This report contradicts itself because it provides a schedule of dead animals and still says the outbreak of the disease is rumours,” said Mr Karanja.

Mr Kiriethe in his report said: “Only three deaths were physically identified. One of the dead animals reported from Bahati was found to have died of East Coast Fever after samples were taken to government laboratory,” said Mr Kiriethe.

Farmers had claimed that they lost hundreds of animals to foot and mouth disease. 

“Our veterinary officers were on the ground and did not encounter such deaths,” he said.

CONTROL OUTBREAK

Mr Kiriethe said the county government had put measures to control outbreak.

“Foot and Mouth disease is endemic in Nakuru County and its surroundings and has been reported in neighbouring Laikipia, Nyandarua, Narok and Baringo counties,” he said.

The MCA said that there has been a sporadic outbreak in Rongai, Molo, Subukia, Nakuru North, Nakuru East, Nakuru West and Gilgil sub counties.

Naivasha, Kuresoi South and Kuresoi North have not reported any outbreak as farmers in those regions took their animals for vaccination unlike those from Bahati and Subukia.

“It was established that vaccination of the animals in Bahati is low hence the constant outbreak of the disease,” said Mr Kiriethe.

He blamed the farmers for failing to take their animals for vaccination and urged the ward reps to sensitize the farmers on the importance of vaccination.  

STAFF SHORTAGE

He admitted the county was facing a severe shortage of veterinary officers. He however assured the farmers that the issue was being addressed.

 “The department of Agriculture is working to address the shortage of staff,” he said.

He announced that a total of 200,000 animals in the region had been vaccinated in the past one year against rabies and lump skin diseases.

Acting Speaker Michael Sonis Njoroge said that the report was incomplete and directed the Agriculture committee to prepare a comprehensive one and table it in the House within two weeks.