A dairy cow farmer looking after his cows. [Photo/farmerstrend.co.ke]
Uasin Gishu County Assembly on Wednesday adjourned its morning sitting to allow members to attend the agriculture committee session.
Agriculture CeC Cyril Cheruiyot was scheduled to shed more light on what the county government was doing to counter the foot and mouth disease outbreak.
Kaptagat MCA Jonathan Ng'etich moved the motion to adjourn the sitting pointing out that the disease outbreak was a matter of county interest and that they should be part of the committee to know the progress and extend of damage caused.
"As we speak now members of the agriculture committee are meeting agriculture CeC and other county officials so as to be briefed on this matter and as members where our people are also affected I ask that we adjourn this session to allow as be part of that meeting as friends of the Committee," said Mr. Ng'etich.
The MCA said the disease had become a matter of great concern with farmers now resorting to giving chang'aa to their cows in hope that they will be healed.
"The situation in rural areas is so serious that farmers are now giving their infected cows chang'aa in hope that it will help cure the disease. This tells you how desperate our farmers have become due to this outbreak," he lamented.
Nominated MCA Samora Machel seconded the motion noting that farmers are incurring huge loses following the deaths being caused by the Foot and Mouth disease outbreak.
The county government has already allocated Sh36 million to vaccinate over 300,000 cows across the county.