Lodwar, 2nd September 2026 (Public Communication and Media Relations)

Deputy County Secretary in charge of Administration Joseph Nyang’a today hosted a national government team led by the Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Allan Azegele, at the county headquarters in Lodwar and held discussions on ongoing efforts by the government to enhance the livelihoods of pastoralist communities in Turkana.

In his presentation, the DCS told the team that parts of Turkana had reported an increase in tsetse fly infestation, calling for support to mount response efforts so as to safeguard the local population from losses associated with the dangerous insects.

“We can confirm that herders in Turkana West and other parts of the county have reported an increase in tsetse flies. Some have even reported losing their animals to diseases associated with the insect. It is for this reason that we seek the support of the national government to respond effectively,” DCS Nyang’a explained.

While citing data from government-generated population census of animals in Turkana showing that the county is leading in livestock count, the DCS urged the Director to increase allocation of government-supported services to Turkana in line with the huge population.

On his part, Dr Azegele lauded the county for initiating measures leading to the widest coverage of livestock with vaccination services, noting that more than 70 per cent of Turkana’s goats and sheep had effectively been vaccinated against PPR.

The Director added that the county had done well in the fight against rabies and hydatidosis through a five-year partnership with the Kenya Women Veterinary Association and other partners.

“I can easily say that Turkana stands out as a model that other counties can emulate in terms of animal vaccination and eradication of rabies and hydatidosis. We commit to support these efforts by availing more vaccines to drive the number of vaccinated animals from the current 70 per cent to 80 per cent in the near future,” Dr Azegele said.

On El Niño preparedness, Dr Azegele said the ministry was fully aware of the huge potential of Rift Valley Fever outbreak, possible displacement of animals and even pastoralists. He promised to include Turkana in the response plan to mitigate against such occurrences.

During the meeting, the ongoing works at Lomidat abattoir and Tannery at Narepuu, establishment of feedlots across Turkana, ongoing efforts by the national government to initiate livestock’s digital identification scheme, utilization of Turkana as a regional hub for disease surveillance and the elevation of the county veterinary laboratory to a tier two biosafety facility were discussed.