A protest movement has emerged in Kenya against a government plan to provide free nationwide vaccinations for around 84 million livestock. Dubbed "My Cow, My Choice," the campaign reflects farmers' fears that Bill Gates is involved and that the vaccines could alter their cattle’s DNA to reduce methane emissions.
Kenya’s President William Ruto sought to reassure farmers, stating that the vaccines are entirely produced in Kenya and are solely intended for disease control, posing no risk to livestock.
He emphasised his confidence in the programme by confirming that his own herds are being vaccinated.
The nationwide livestock vaccination campaign kicked off on 30 January. It aims to vaccinate around 22 million cattle, 23 million sheep, 35 million goats and, 4.3 million camels.
"There are millions of cows in Europe and America and none of them are being vaccinated for farting … mine will not be vaccinated!" Ledama Olekina, an opposition senator and prominent Maasai pastoralist wrote on X.
Vital vaccines
Ruto told Kenyans that the vaccines are vital for exports, particularly to the European Union, by controlling foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in cattle and other diseases among sheep and goat.
“I want to promise the people of Kenya that we are going to carry out this vaccination, because our farmers deserve improved earnings,” Ruto said last December at the Kimalel Goat Auction in Baringo County.
He added that the prevalence of disease among the livestock threatens the exports of Kenyan meat and leather products.
“It is necessary for us to have a national vaccination campaign to make sure that we get rid of diseases so that we can expand our market and our products can access international markets,” Ruto said.
Foreign agenda
Opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka said that the vaccination campaign was targeting animals with gene-modifying drugs to stop them from releasing methane gas, a normal biological process.
“This is a sinister foreign agenda,” he added.
Those opposing the vaccination believe that billionaire Bill Gates is funding it. They point to his $12 million investment into technology aimed at reducing methane emissions from cows.
Videos of Gates, where he explains his views on the matter, are widely used on social media by the “My Cow, My Choice” campaigners.
“Anybody opposing vaccination to eliminate FMD ... is simply mad and unreasonable and, possibly stupid,” Ruto said.
Made in Kenya vaccines
The vaccines used for this campaign are manufactured at the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI).
According to Professor Kimathi Kigatiira, chairman of KEVEVAPI, they are also controlled by the Africa Union Pan Veterinary Vaccine Centre (AU-PANVAC) in Ethiopia.
“KEVEVAPI exports vaccines to 12 countries in the region. Uganda had ordered from Kenya three million doses of the same vaccines, which they are using on their livestock," said Mutahi Kagwe, cabinet secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development.
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“The propaganda stems from misinformation, with many of those opposing the exercise speaking out of ignorance. Initially, I also didn’t fully understand its importance,” Kagwe said.
Disease outbreak
Four western counties are currently quarantined following a severe outbreak of FMD.
Dr Allan Azegele, director of Veterinary Services, warned that with the threat of diseases, mass vaccination cannot wait any longer.
“This is a trans-boundary animal disease that causes significant losses to farmers and interferes with trade both within the country and internationally,” Azegele explained.
Ruto claims opponents of the livestock vaccination campaign do not know, nor understand what is at stake.
“You cannot use propaganda, you cannot use disinformation and fake news to deny the people of Kenya international markets by discouraging disease control in Kenya,” he added.
