- “We are trying to save 200 cows from various homes in each of the 25 wards in the region as we continue to wait for the money from the county,” Kamau said.
- Last week, some 450,000 cows had died due to the ongoing drought as more continue to succumb in livestock markets in Bissil and Isinya towns in the county.
The government targets to buy 5,000 cows in all 25 wards of Kajiado county.
The livestock offtake programme, which is being undertaken by the Kenya Meat Commission targets emaciated cows and those that are still strong at a cost of Sh20,000 each.
Kajiado acting county commissioner Harun Kamau told the Star on Monday the buying of the cows started last week, even though the National Treasury has not released the money.
“Some Sh350million was set aside by the national government, but has not been released. KMC is already taking the cows and recording the owners so they can be paid as soon as the money is released,” he said.
Kamau said they could not wait for the money to initiate the offtake because by doing so, more livestock would die.
“We are trying to save 200 cows from various homes in each of the 25 wards in the region as we continue to wait for the money from the county. They pledged Sh100million,” he said.
This is happening as some areas in the county received light rains from Saturday to Sunday night.
Last week, some 450,000 cows had died due to the ongoing drought as more continue to succumb in livestock markets in Bissil and Isinya towns in the county.
Most of those taken to the markets in trucks rarely return home alive when they fail to get customers.
About two weeks ago, before the government’s livestock offtake, emaciated cows were sold at Sh500 each in the Bissil livestock market while sheep were sold at Sh100 each.
The commissioner said even if the rains start now, many families will still require famine relief for another two months for the grass to grow.
“This also applies to the ruminant wild animals,” Kamau said.