Tanzanian authorities are under pressure after reports
emerged that they sold cattle belonging to Kenyan Maasai.
According to the reports, over 1,300 cattle had been
auctioned for around Sh90 million over fear that they livestock would spread
diseases.
Tanzanian authorities insist that they are working to
prevent outbreaks from animals.
However, local veterinarians have questioned the move citing
the wildebeest migration that takes place every year.
“When it comes to cattle, they rush to claim there will be
diseases, yet we have millions of other animals that feed on plants like the
wildebeests that cross from Kenya to Tanzania and they have no problem with
that,” honorary secretary of the Kenya Veterinary Association Kenneth Wameyo
said.
Earlier this month Masaai herdsmen traveled to Tanzania to
recover the livestock. Officials in Tanzania say the herders were only able to
recover 1,400 out of the total 2,000 cattle that had crossed the border into
Tanzania.
Tanzania’s Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Luhaga Mpina
has asked authorities to carry on with their operations and insists that the
move has nothing to do with the countries economical ties with Kenya.
In related news, Tanzanian Authorities are also
planning to burn 6,400 chicks that were reportedly smuggled into Tanzania from
Kenya.
According to reports, Mary Matia is being held detained by
police for smuggling chicks into Tanzania.
“They are mostly smuggled at night hours, endangering the
health of Tanzanians since we know avian influenza has broken out into
neighboring Uganda,” Senior veterinarian Medard Tarimo said.
However, Matia has asked that they not destroy the chicks
but rather allow her to return them claiming she was not aware of the
government ban on chick importation.
“I am asking them not to destroy them. Instead they have to
allow me to return them to Kenya where I am required to pay the breeder Sh12.5
million,” she said.
Tanzanian authorities have maintained that they will
continue to implement measures that will keep them from having to treat
diseases caused by livestock.
