The pastoralist community is now
calling on President Uhuru Kenyatta to consider creating a ministry for them as he prepares to name his Cabinet.
Addressing the press in Garissa town on Friday, the chairman of the
livestock marketing council, Dubat Amey, said the community's population is currently estimated at about 10 million translating to nearly a
quarter of the country’s population.
“Livestock deserves government
protection and empowerment because it contributes to 12 per cent of the country’s GDP
and 23 per cent of Kenyan population depend on livestock for their livelihood,”
Dubat.
Amey
said the 14 ASAL counties
voted overwhelmingly for President Uhuru Kenyatta and its leadership and in
return ‘we need something to be ploughed back to us’.
We are not lobbying for any
particular individual nor are we demanding for the slot. All we are telling the President is for him to see the importance of such a ministry,” he said.
Amey
said the new ministry will work closely with the county
governments to ensure beneficial policies and programmes are implemented.
It has witnessed heavy lobbying from communities that
voted for the Jubilee government have been lobbying for Cabinet slots as
President Uhuru is expected to name his cabinet anytime
However, leaders from
North Eastern are yet to do the same.
