Kirinyaga vaccinates donkeys against rabies

Kirinyaga County Government has vaccinated over 2,000 donkeys in a week-long exercise
following a rabies outbreak in the county.
The exercise, led by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Veterinary, and Fisheries,
focused on high-risk areas to prevent further spread of the disease. This follows an incident two
weeks ago where a rabid donkey bit several animals and people, raising alarm among farmers
and residents.
In Mwea alone, 1,500 donkeys received the rabies jab with Dr. Catherine Malonzi, the County
Director of Livestock, noting that the vaccination drive was initiated in response to farmers’
concerns and will now be conducted annually as part of a broader disease control strategy.
“We have been facing frequent rabies outbreaks in different areas and to curb this, we have
developed a routine vaccination program to protect donkeys and prevent the spread of the
disease,” Dr. Malonzi said, adding that donkeys play a crucial role in Kirinyaga’s transport
sector, especially for small-scale farmers who rely on them to ferry produce.

She added that veterinary teams will move across all parts of Kirinyaga to ensure donkeys
receive the vaccine and the disease is brought under control.
Farmers who had their donkeys vaccinated appreciated the county government efforts to contain
the disease before it further spread. “The County Government has listened to our concerns and
acted. The vaccination is being provided for free, and this has helped us a lot. Without it,
donkeys can go mad, attack people, and even die,” said Mary Muthee, a farmer from Ndorome.
She also raised concerns over the rising cases of donkey theft for illegal slaughter, warning that
if the trend continues, it could cripple farmers’ livelihoods.

Another resident and donkey farmer, Peter Murimi, praised the county’s efforts and thanked
Governor Anne Waiguru for prioritizing the welfare of donkey owners.
“In all my years as a donkey farmer, I have never seen the government organize such a massive
vaccination drive for donkeys. Rabies has been a major challenge for us, so I sincerely thank the
county government for stepping in and I hope this support will be sustained.”Murimi said.
Apart from rabies, donkeys in the county are also vulnerable to diseases such as anthrax and
tetanus, which pose a serious threat to their health and productivity.
The county government has urged all donkey owners to take advantage of the free vaccination
program and report any suspected cases of rabies immediately.
At the same time, Veterinary Officers will continue monitoring the situation to ensure effective
disease control and protect both animals and residents from future outbreaks.