A new wave of livestock disease outbreaks is sweeping through Kenya’s arid and semi‑arid counties, threatening pastoral and agro‑pastoral livelihoods across at least nine regions. Among the most affected are Garissa, Isiolo and Marsabit, where suspected cases of foot‑and‑mouth disease have been reported, while Baringo and Narok West are grappling with lumpy skin disease and camel pox has emerged in several wards of Marsabit County. Simultaneously, reports of Peste des Petits Ruminants, rabies in donkeys and dogs, and vector‑borne illnesses such as East Coast Fever, anaplasmosis and trypanosomiasis are compounding the crisis.
Foot‑and‑mouth disease highly contagious and capable of causing painful blisters in livestock has been confirmed in southern Garissa and across pastoral and agropastoral zones in Isiolo. In Moyale, cases have been identified in Uran, Obbu, Butiye and Golbo wards, and further outbreaks have been noted in Samburu East, Tana River, Kitui, Meru’s Igembe North and Tigania East areas, Narok West and Chepareria in West Pokot. The rapid spread of this “trade‑sensitive” disease risks Kenya’s participation in international livestock markets and could trigger severe economic losses if not swiftly contained.
In Baringo and Narok West, cattle and water buffalo are being hit by lumpy skin disease, characterized by nodular skin lesions, fever and swollen lymph nodes. This viral illness not only reduces milk production and meat quality but also leads to significant market devaluation, pushing already vulnerable pastoralists further toward hardship.
Marsabit County is confronting multiple threats. Camel pox has been identified in Uran, Sololo and Obbu wards, while sudden, unexplained goat deaths in Quuq, Amballo and Obbu have farmers on edge. Simultaneously, small ruminants are succumbing to Peste des Petits Ruminants, and suspected rabies cases in donkeys have emerged in Forole, with Karare reporting unusually high dog mortalities clinical signs point toward canine distemper. Vector‑borne diseases like East Coast Fever, anaplasmosis and trypanosomiasis are compounding these challenges, stressing veterinary services and local resources.
Anthrax outbreaks have been detected in Narok’s Ilmotiok ward, Emurua Dikirr and Katakala, where active disease surveillance teams are racing to vaccinate at‑risk livestock. Yet, despite the widespread nature of these outbreaks, overall mortality rates remain within expected thresholds. Minimal livestock deaths have been attributed directly to disease, suggesting that early intervention and vaccination campaigns may be averting catastrophic losses.
Nonetheless, environmental stressors threaten to amplify the crisis. Water pans and seasonal rivers, crucial to both human and animal survival in arid zones, are drying up. Herders are trekking ever longer distances to reach diminishing water sources, leaving livestock weakened and more susceptible to infection and, ultimately, reducing their market value.
In March, a mysterious illness in the Hurri Hills of North Horr Constituency claimed at least 20 camels within a single week. Affected animals exhibited thick white nasal discharge, labored breathing, weeping eyes, and swollen cervical and parotid lymph nodes before succumbing within three to four days. The sudden onset and high fatality rate of this outbreak sparked urgent calls for enhanced veterinary response.
Local authorities and the National Drought Management Authority are coordinating disease surveillance, vaccination drives and community sensitization efforts. Mobile veterinary clinics have been dispatched to remote areas, and livestock owners are being urged to report any abnormal sickness or mortalities immediately. To support these measures, non‑governmental organizations and development partners are supplying vaccines, cold‑chain equipment and logistical support.
While current mortality figures may not yet indicate catastrophic losses, the convergence of multiple diseases, environmental stress and market risks underscores the precarious nature of pastoral livelihoods. Continued vigilance, timely veterinary intervention and community engagement will be essential to prevent localized outbreaks from escalating into a full‑blown livestock crisis across Kenya’s arid and semi‑arid lands.
