Nakuru government is seeking to vaccinate 80 per cent of livestock in the county against Rift Valley Fever and anthrax ahead of the predicted El Nino rains.
The county is on high alert over Rift Valley fever which is spread by mosquitoes during rainy seasons and can be transmitted to human beings. According to the Nakuru county director of veterinary services Dr Enos Amuyunzu, the vaccination against Rift Valley Fever was in high gear.
“Cases of Rift Valley fever are always on the rise during rainy seasons and the county has moved in to vaccinate all the livestock against this disease,” he said. Speaking on Tuesday in Naivasha, Amuyunzu noted that the disease was easily transmitted from livestock to human hence the need to hasten the vaccination process.
The senior officer noted that as per the 2009 livestock census, the county had 430,000 herds of cattle and 500,000 sheep and goats.
“Based on this figures, we want to at least vaccinate 80 per cent of the livestock against Rift Valley fever which is highly contagious,” he said.
Amuyunzu added that the department had already vaccinated livestock in Mai Mahiu, Kongoni and Central divisions in Naivasha against anthrax.
“Apart from Rift Valley Fever, we are also vaccinating livestock against anthrax in the wake of the recent outbreak in Lake Nakuru National park,” he said.
He added that the process of vaccinating dogs and cats in the county against rabies was also on high gear. At the same time, farmers in parts of Naivasha have expressed their concern over an influx of pastoralists searching for pastures into the farms.
The most affected by the invasion are farmers around Mai Mahiu, Ndabibi and Moi Ndabi with the numbers rising by the day. They expressed their concern over a disease outbreak noting that the livestock hailed from the neighbouring Kajiado and Narok counties.
According to one of the affected farmers Solomon Kimathi from Ndabibi, the incident could cause conflict between communities living in the area.
Kimathi accused some of the herders of driving their animals into private farms a vice he termed as sensitive and serious.
“We have in the past seen members of different communities clash over pastures and water and we want the government to address this issue,” he said. The farmer noted with concern that the number of livestock was rising by the day raising tension and anxiety in the area.