The State Department for Livestock is in the process of collating views from the public and stakeholders to be incorporated in the Veterinary Practice and Veterinary Medicines Bill 2024.
The bill seeks to regulate the veterinary practice through training, registration, licensing and employment of veterinary professionals and specialists.
It also lays out modalities to regulate the manufacture, importation, exportation, registration, distribution, prescription and dispensing of veterinary medicines.
Deputy Director at the Directorate of Livestock Policy Dr William Akwimbi said the bill has been necessitated by the need to review the Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Para-professionals Act 2011 to bolster the animal industry and make it effective towards it’s contribution to the country’s economy.
Speaking in Machakos during the collation exercise, Dr Akwimbi said the taskforce charged with the formulation of the bill is analysing the issues raised during public stakeholder consultation forums conducted in eight regions across the country with a view to include them in the bill.
“The forums were conducted in Kakamega, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru, Embu, Isiolo, Machakos and Mombasa and the taskforce will look at the various clauses of the bill to ensure that the issues and concerns raised by the stakeholders are incorporated,” said Akwimbi.
Akwimbi said once the process of incorporating the views is completed the bill will be taken back to the stakeholders for public validation before the final draft is forwarded to the cabinet and then Parliament for approval.
“The draft will also be taken to the Attorney General’s office for verification. The taskforce intends to polish on the bill so that when it goes to Parliament the changes will be minimal,” he said.
By Roselyne Kavoo
