Veterinary doctors have written a letter to President Uhuru Kenyatta over an outbreak of a disease at his Gicheha farm in Nakuru County.
In the letter dated Wednesday, February 3, the Union of Veterinary Practitioners headed by Miheso Mulembani confirmed that the farm lost cattle from foot and mouth disease.
In the letter, the team further noted that most livestock farmers grapple with frequent disease outbreaks due to lack of strong leadership in the Agricultural sector.
"Mr. President, we empathize with you over the outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in your precious Gicheha farm located within Nakuru County which has caused you serious losses.
"We also extend our sincere empathy to Joshua Kulei's Chemusian Farm and surrounding farms that have come down with the deadly disease," read the letter in part.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Milemba also listed a number of demands to the president regarding farmers' woes which he explained were caused by poor board membership in parastatals in the ministry of agriculture.
Milemba added that union members were seeking to have the chief executive of Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI) suspended.
"We want him to revoke the appointment of the current CEO of KEVEVAPI as well as disband its board. We want him to reign on all agricultural parastatals to make sure they account for every penny. We want him to ensure the taxpayer's money is used correctly.
"Mr. President, in 2015, you extended Ksh650 Million to KEVEVAPI to modernize and ensure production of Purified Oil Based FMD Vaccine by 2018 for use in assuring long term protection against the deadly foot and mouth disease (FMD)," stated Mulembani.
The union noted that since the launch, no single vaccine was ever produced from the company and that the money was diverted to other projects.
Foot and mouth disease is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of cattle and swine.
Its symptoms include fever, blisters in the mouth and on feet, a drop in milk production, weight loss, loss of appetite, quivering lips and frothing of mouth and lameness.
