Kitui moves to protect livestock sector with mass vaccination campaign

President William Ruto vaccinates a cow during the flagging off of animal vaccinationand the National Livestock Restocking Programme at Soko Ng'ombe in Garissa County on Feb 6, 2025. [PCS]

Livestock farmers in Kitui County have taken advantage of the subsidised livestock vaccination campaign rolled out by the county government to prevent diseases and loss of animals.

The vaccination drive, which is now in its third week, is aimed at safeguarding farmer incomes and protecting the livestock sector from costly diseases such as Foot and Mouth disease, East Coast Fever, among others. 

The County minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Dr. Stephen Mbaya Kimwele, who led the drive in Kitui West, Mwingi West, and Kitui Rural last week, said that the vaccination programme is a critical intervention to shield farmers from devastating livestock diseases, which can reduce productivity.

Mbaya noted that livestock remains a key pillar of livelihood in Kitui, adding that protecting animal health is essential for food security and economic stability. He underscored the heavy economic toll of Foot and Mouth disease, noting that the disease lowers livestock prices and compromises meat quality, thus limiting farmers' access to lucrative markets. 

"Prevention through vaccination is cheaper than managing an outbreak. This vaccination drive is designed not only to prevent diseases but also to improve the quality of meat and strengthen the livestock value chain," the county official said.

To make the exercise affordable, the county government has subsidised the cost of vaccination from Sh200 to Sh50 per cow, he said. Goats will be vaccinated for Sh20 per head. Other domestic animals being vaccinated are donkeys and dogs at Sh100 against the deadly rabies disease.

Kalumu Mwandikwa from Kasevi in Kitui Rural hailed the exercise as timely, saying that the vaccination will cushion farmers from losses.

“A sick cow means school fees gone. With the affordable vaccination, we now feel more secure as farmers,” she said.

The agriculture executive explained that the county government is implementing the exercise with trained Animal Health Assistants (AHAs) and veterinary officers deployed across the county to ensure that the vaccines reach farmers at the village level.

“Our teams are on the ground working closely with farmers to ensure that the vaccines are safely administered and livestock diseases are effectively contained,” Kimwele said.

He further emphasised that the initiative forms part of the broader agricultural agenda of Governor Julius Malombe, which seeks to strengthen the livestock sector, improve animal productivity, and enhance resilience among livestock farmers.