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"id": 176800,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/176800/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Duale",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Livestock Development",
"speaker": {
"id": 15,
"legal_name": "Aden Bare Duale",
"slug": "aden-duale"
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"content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I was responding on behalf of the Government. Along the line, there was an Animals Technicians Bill, 2008, which was still in the pipeline, but there was bureaucracy in the Government in terms of Cabinet approval, but our good friend, Mr. Lekuton, has brought a proposal for it. What do we do? We need to harmonise in the Bill a number of issues. When we talk of animal health technicians, we need to re-look at the Act, Cap. 366, that empowers the Director of Veterinary Services and the department in regulating, looking at ethical challenges, looking at professionalism and animal health welfare in terms of bringing on board the animal health technicians. I can assure you that when this Bill is harmonised with the Bill from the Government, the body that regulates animal health practitioners, known as the Kenya Veterinary Board, will have a specific slot for para-veterinarians. That is why we have seen that there is no way you can delink the veterinary surgeons and para-veterinarians, as stipulated in Mr. Lekuton's Motion. We are talking of a country that has Vision 2030. In Vision 2030, the flagship project of the Ministry of Livestock Development is for the creation of disease free zones. We have realised that if we want a vibrant livestock marketing, both locally and internationally, then we must invest in the control and surveillance of animal diseases, specifically diseases that are trade-related. We are talking of the Rift Valley Fever (RVF), the PPR, Rinderpest and the Foot and Mouth Disease. These diseases that can make this country lose its international market share in the Middle East and in the European Union. If we talk of disease free zones, then we need to talk about the human resource aspect of controlling animal diseases. That is why my Ministry has gone ahead--- This year alone, we are employing over 150 animal health technicians; that will happen in the coming month. We have seen the need and importance. We have also realised that we must double the number of animal health extension officers each year in order to come together and see the importance of what my colleague raised. Unless and until we improve on the extension aspect of the animal health section, then as a country we are not heading anywhere. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are talking about regaining our international market. We are talking about accessing the Kenyan meat market in the Middle East and the European Union. Therefore, we need to invest in the control and eradication of trade-related diseases. I want to talk about the element of regularising, making the animal health technicians, who are trained at the certificate and diploma levels, to work within the set international standards set by the World Animal Health Organisation known as the OIE, based in Paris. As we put into the law the animal health technicians, we need to walk out of the box. We need to get recognition for this same group in international fora. That is why we are more concerned about the para-professionals. We are more concerned about the curriculum that these animal health technicians are going through. This Ministry is the nerve centre of the pastoral community. This is the Ministry that needs to provide the economic livelihood of the pastoral communities. I can assure this House that this 3814 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES December 03, 2008 Ministry is on the right track. Apart from supporting this particular Bill, which is proposed by a member of a pastoral community, I want to assure this House, the nation, and pastoral hon. Members that the Ministry of Livestock Development is not the old department in the Ministry of Agriculture. It is a very vibrant Ministry! It is a Ministry that is already on the slate. We are employing the same animal health technicians, setting up more extension services and re-drawing the livestock infrastructure in terms of the local stocking. We are re-drawing the livestock pasture system and trying to manage the rangelands. We are trying to look at a system where this Ministry invests in the control of animal health. We are talking of trans-boundary diseases and being a neighbour to countries where the veterinary systems have collapsed. We are talking of Somalia and Southern Sudan, a young nation that is coming up. I want to assure hon. Members that recently there was the PPR, and His Excellency the President - I want to thank him here in this House - availed funds for the buying of vaccines in all the 18 districts that PPR has affected. Today, close to 11 million goats and sheep in this country have been vaccinated against PPR. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those many remarks, I want to assure this House that the Ministry of Livestock Development was in the process of bringing to the House the Animal Technicians Bill, 2008, and Mr. Lekuton's Bill is more or less the same as ours. I want to assure this House that we are going to re-look at it, harmonise it with Lekuton's one and bring it here; I support Mr. Lekuton's Bill to become law. Thank you, Sir."
}