Veterinarians have expressed concern over the Kambi Kuku chicken auction in Uasin Gishu County where DP William spent his youthful days selling chicken to motorists.
The DP will be the chief guest on the second edition of the auction event to be held on Thursday, December 19.
In a statement by the Union of Veterinary Practitioners Kenya (UVPK), the professionals stated that the auction had not met some of the minimum guidelines that would result in most farmers and traders suffering heavy post-market losses associated with mortalities of birds.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, the union's secretary-general, Miheso Mulembani stated that the organisers had not complied with basic safety guidelines.
"Before such an auction is conducted, we need to ascertain the origin, health status and the welfare of the birds three weeks before the event. Three weeks allows for time for diseases to be easily detectable where we can cull the diseased birds to prevent spreading of diseases to other poultry," Mulembani explained.
He described the apparent disregard to veterinary input in the organisation of the event as unfortunate adding that in the long run, it would be the poultry farmers in Uasin Gishu County who would suffer the consequences of disease virus overload within the undesignated market place.
"This is because Jua Kali auction is not a designated market place for poetry to allow for pre-market disease surveillance," he added.
He further called for the postponement of the event to allow for proper planning adding that the previous auction had farmers flocking the Eldoret Veterinary Investigation Laboratory (VIL) with dead/sick birds associated with the dreaded Newcastle Disease.
The veterinarian further added that the agricultural sector had been sidelined since the introduction of devolution despite contributing nearly 30% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
"Veterinary issues have not been given priority since devolution. For example, there is a shortage of Foot and Mouth disease vaccine in the country attributed to mismanagement at the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI)," he stated.
