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{
    "id": 1545583,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545583/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 138,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 407,
        "legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
        "slug": "ledama-olekina"
    },
    "content": "Committee on Health to go into KEVEVAPI facilities and see the entire process. This is so because there is a lot which is being discussed worldwide about the issue of vaccines. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, when you hear Bill Gates saying that these cows need to be vaccinated, so that they stop farting, it worries us. It is imperative for us to be educated and our county governments must take their role seriously. Earlier on when looking at the budget of the Ministry of Health, we realised that there is a presidential directive that has directed the Ministry of Health to build sub-county health centres. According to the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution, that is a function for the county governments. One of the things that was a bit vexing is the fact that one county; Uasin Gishu County, was allocated Kshs700 million when my own county, Narok County, is getting zero. We have to very selfishly guard and protect devolution. The Council of Governors (CoG) should have taken over the vaccine issue. Even if the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) is the one that coordinates, but the implementation should be carried out by the county governments. When farmers are asking what is happening, even us who are the ombudspersons cannot tell them what is going on. Our communication leaves a lot to be desired and this must change. It is important to note that we do not have any foreign Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine manufacturer registered in this country currently. If indeed we are dealing with the issue FMD, we have to delve deeper into the issues of the borders. If we take care of our cows in the country, what about the cows, sheep and goats that come from our neighbouring countries; Somalia, Ethiopia and Tanzania? All of us must be alive to these things. I hope that when the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries is going to investigate the issues that Sen. Chute has raised here, it can visit the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI). I also hope that Dr. Allan Azegele, the DVS, can pull up his socks and issue out communication to sensitise the professionals, so that they can educate our people when going into the field. Finally, there are a lot of fake parasites and animal vaccines in this country. Nowadays, people have moved away from the traditional dips, where they used to put the parasite in so that it can kill all the blue tick that is affecting the cows. It is about time that the county governments started rehabilitating the old dips, so that we can control these diseases. Some of the pumps being sold in the market nowadays are from China or made in many other parts of the world. You use them, but they are not even effective. The parasites are also not being controlled effectively. The DVS must now take charge to see that we can control animal diseases in this country. We cannot survive without livestock. I am sure Mheshimiwa Chute cannot survive without the sheep. Neither can I survive without the cows. I was in Marsabit County once and there were almost 10,000 sheep and goats being taken care of by one person. Therefore, it is important for us to work together to know our capacity. I like that question. “How much can we produce locally?” Since this is a function of county governments, can we then now talk to KEVEVAPI to set up stations across the counties, so that it can buy and get the approval from the farmers? This is a very good Statement and quite timely. I hope that all of us, when we get the report from the Committee on The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}