Farmers from Nakuru have raised an alarm for what they are terming as an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Nakuru county.
The foot and mouth disease has been reported in Nakuru East, Nakuru west, Menengai and also Kiamunyi.
Speaking to the press yesterday, Maina Mwangi a farmer from Nakuru West said that a number of farmers have already been forced their livestock to drink busaa which is believed to be a cure to the disease.
"Busaa which is a traditional brew is a cure for the disease and most farmers have been forced to visit the local dens so that they can buy the brew and take to their animals. This disease is very bad and it is also highly contagious. It has gone ahead and reduce milk production", Maina said.
Maina went ahead and told the press that they had already reported the matter to the livestock department in Nakuru county.
"We are suspecting that our animals might have come into contacts with other sick animals that led to the spread of the disease. We started seeing symptoms of the diseases in our livestock and that’s when we reported the matter to the livestock department,” Maina said
Speaking to the press yesterday afternoon, the minister Agriculture, livestock development and fisheries Doctor Stanley Chepkwony said that his department was very aware and that they had sent officers to the affected areas so that they can try and contain the disease.
"We have sent officers in the affected areas and also the neighboring areas so that they can try and contain the disease and also reduce the risk of it spreading to other areas. I want to assure all the farmers not to worry since we are in a position to contain the disease,” Chepkwony said.