Spare us your ignorance: Ruto tells off leaders opposing livestock vaccination plan

Speaking during the annual Kimalel Goat Auction in Baringo County, the president said that the plan will enhance farmers to align with international standards when providing meat and leather products for export to foreign markets. 

He asked his detractors to keep off matters that they have no knowledge of instead of spreading propaganda to the public.

"Last year, we exported dairy products from Ksh.4.9 billion to Ksh.7.4 billion. We want to export our meat and leather products but the impediment is the level of disease prevalence," he said. 

"We ask leaders who have no understanding, no knowledge, no plan to spare us their ignorance. They can't continue to use propaganda and disinformation to deny Kenyans international markets by discouraging disease control. Wanataka umaskini iendelee Kenya," he added. 

He questioned why critics were opposed to his plan if human beings already undergo vaccination. 

"Chanjo inafanywa hata ya binadamu. Surely, if it is not dangerous to vaccinate people why is it dangerous to vaccinate animals?" he posed. 

"Ati itazuia ng’ombe kunyamba. What kind of nonsense are we engaging in? Give us a break. Wewe ulisikia wapi? I am speaking to you as a scientist, vaccination is about disease control."

The Head of State has been on the receiving end of constant criticism from leaders who claim that the government has a sinister motive for the vaccination plan. 

"The nationwide program, set to roll out in the coming months, is being marketed as part of the government's environmental protection efforts. However, this proposal reeks of a sinister foreign agenda and is deeply concerning to pastoralist communities and the nation at large," Wiper's Kalonzo Musyoka said last month.