Kiprotich Bundotich, popularly known as Buzeki, a 2022 Uasin Gishu County gubernatorial candidate, has voiced his opposition to the cow vaccination campaign spearheaded by President William Ruto.
Buzeki criticized the initiative, citing a lack of transparency, and urged the government to exclude farmers from the vaccination process.
“I am a cow, dude! UDA is lacking transparency concerning this vaccination. UDA should keep our cows out of this opaque experiment. Otherwise, wadunge zao,” Buzeki said in a post on X on Wednesday, December 11, 2024.
Ruto emphasised on why the exercise is important when he graced the fourth Pastoralist Leadership Summit in Wajir on Tuesday, December 10, 2022.
“Anybody opposing vaccination is simply mad, unreasonable, and possibly stupid.
“The vaccination is necessary because we need disease-free livestock. I want to tell livestock keepers that there is an evil spirit in Kenya that is resident in some leaders who oppose everything.
“We need to take charge of disease control and open up markets for our animal products. The vaccines we will be using are produced in Kenya by Kenyans,” Ruto said.
The expected vaccination drive has been gathering opposition, with Wiper Movement party leader Kalonzo Musyoka stating his concerns.
“People behind this plan do not carry out the same vaccination programmes in their own nations where they have considerably more cattle than Kenya and are therefore greater contributors to climate change. Indeed, we take note with alarm that these vaccinations developed overseas have been rejected everywhere else in the world.
“We urge you to oppose this nefarious act by this dangerous and unpopular regime. Pastoralists and other livestock owners have a responsibility to preserve their livestock and livelihoods. Do not allow anyone to get anywhere near your animal in the pretext of vaccination,” he said.
