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{
    "id": 381642,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/381642/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 139,
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    "content": "into drier areas where it was termed diseased and the highlands which were disease free were mainly occupied by the whites. There was a very well organized mechanism where livestock from these drier diseased areas where disease control was difficult because of the nature of people moving in search of pasture and water--- There is a way to approach the disease free higher areas through stock routes. There was also, in these diseased areas, programmes for regular vaccination and there were dipping kits all over. As the time of buying those animals from diseased areas reached, there were stock routes that they followed where salt licks, dips and water points were placed at certain points. There were buffer zones called holding grounds. These animals would then come along these stock routes, get vaccinated, get dipped for ticks, be held in the holding grounds just below Mt. Kenya area, Taita Taveta and other areas. This was to protect the higher disease free zones. These animals would be kept there for four weeks and they would be treated and declared disease free before accessing the ranches in the higher regions where the whites lived. From there, they would be brought to KMC or Mombasa Kibarani Factory. The meat was consumed locally or turned into conned beef for export. When we got Independence, Kenya was far much ahead than most of our neighbouring countries in terms of livestock husbandry. That fell apart in the 1986 policy brought by the IMF when the economy was in bad shape and the whole vaccination programme, dipping and recruitment of veterinary doctors collapsed. The Structural Adjustment Programme was turned over to the communities. That is the time the rain started beating the livestock sector. It stayed that way until 2003 when the Kibaki Government came in. I am surprised that people are complaining about the performance of the Kibaki Government in livestock production. It is when he came in 2003 that we started reviving the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC). All livestock institutions had broken down; the KMC, the KCC, veterinary doctors were not being recruited, extension services, vaccination and dipping had also died. Quacks were left free to practise in the field. The few veterinary doctors who were left in the rural areas moved to Nairobi to treat pets there because that is where the money was. Madam Temporary Speaker, it is in 2003 that we turned that around. The KMC and KCC were opened, extension services were restarted for the first time since the 1980s and veterinary doctors and diploma holders were hired and then we started to revive the sector. We actually started moving from the KMC in Athi River, and started exporting from where the animals are. Right now in Isiolo, Garissa, Pokot and Turkana, we have export abattoirs which are all linked with international airports that will come up, like the first one will be in Isiolo where the intention was to form co-operatives around the abattoirs and get a strategic investor in the abattoir where there is an international airport and then the animals will be exported. The disease free zone areas were delineated. There were five of them and the first two are operational. The only problem is the cost. Technically, if you look at the disease free zones, it costs Kshs9 billion to set up one disease free zone. Therefore, because of the cost, it was not possible to put all the five in process. Vision 2030 envisages five disease free zones in the former buffer zones that were prepared by the colonial Government. Therefore, the livestock sector is growing and I am surprised that some people are not aware because they do not know where it has come from, where it is and where we are heading. It is ignorance. It is my duty as the former Livestock Minister to The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}