• 'Many people see these farms as idle land,' says Dr Samuel Kahariri, KVA chairman.
• Kenya has six gazetted vet farms used for research, livestock improvement, multiplication, gene preservation and livestock movement.
Image: COURTESY
Land-grabbers taking advantage of the Covid-19 lockdown, have encroached on the large veterinary farms owned by the Department of Livestock.
The Kenya Veterinary Association says nearly all of the six farms are affected.
The association noted that plans to build a dumpsite on the 1,850-acre Ngong vet farm have proceeded quietly.
Vets have opposed the move since it was first mooted by the Kajiado county government in 2013.
"Many people see these farms as idle land," says Dr Samuel Kahariri, KVA chairman.
"In these times of increased zoonotic outbreaks, including the ongoing Covid-19, the government should jealously guard research facilities rather than hiving them off for other purposes."
Kenya has six gazetted vet farms used for research, livestock improvement, multiplication, gene preservation and livestock movement.
Other vet farms are in Kabete, Machakos, Maseno, Kiboko and Limuru.
"The facilities have been instrumental in carrying out genetic research targeting improvements in our local livestock breeds, carrying out vaccine trials among other essential functions," Dr Kahariri said.
He said the farms are being invaded by neighbouring communities, land cartels and county governments.
Kajiado plans to decommission the old dumpsite near Ngong Town and build a new waste management facility on 20 acres of the Ngong Vet Farm, which the county claims to own.
The county government and UN-Habitat lead the project expected to cost Sh2 billion.
In 2018, the National Environmental Management Authority allegedly okayed the project after an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) study was carried out.
"The ESIA inexplicably failed to show the impact of the project and risk to research animals on the farm as well as the broader impact to the livestock farming communities like the residents of Kajiado County who are the primary beneficiaries of the facilities," Kahariri says.
In March, farm manager Phillip Kiok told the Star on the phone the land has never changed hands from the Department of Livestock.
“They want to put a dumpsite without following due process,” Kiok said.
“The land is used for disease diagnostics and efficacy trials. It was never donated by the Maasai community as it is not a trust land,” he said.
Kajiado Land executive Hamilton Barseina claimed the land belongs to the county.
“We are planning to put up a processing plant there. We have obtained the necessary approvals,” Barseina said.
However, Kajiado Nema director Joseph Kopejo told the Star on the phone that the county has not been given any approval.
“They have deposited with us two proposals. The first one is for the decommissioning of Ngong Dumpsite on-site. This means that whatever waste is left there will be retained and managed until depleted.
“The second proposal is for an integrated solid waste management system. The facility will process waste, recovering what can be recovered and produce power,” Kopejo said.
Kopejo said the county will have to settle the land ownership row first.
(edited by o. owino)