Maungu: The State Department for Livestock Development has embarked on a public stakeholder participation forum to facilitate the operationalization of the Bachuma Livestock Quarantine Station. This initiative, part of Kenya’s Vision 2030 flagship projects, aims to revolutionize the country’s livestock export sector.
According to Kenya News Agency, the forum, conducted on November 26, 2025, gathered a diverse group of stakeholders, including local communities, county governments, exporters, producers, and development partners. The discussions focused on a proposed lease arrangement that would involve a private investor completing pending work and managing the quarantine facility.
Dr. Damaris Mwololo from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development expressed her satisfaction with the stakeholder engagement, highlighting its success in capturing public sentiment. “We have collected many views from the public. We’ve had their concerns; we’ve heard the worries that they have, and we’ve also been able to capture the excitement that they have about having this investment start here in this area of Maungu,” she said.
The Bachuma Livestock Quarantine Station, established by the Government of Kenya through the State Department for Livestock Development, is aimed at enhancing access to local and international markets for Kenya’s animals and animal products. This will be achieved through improved livestock health screening, quarantine, and certification in line with international sanitary and phytosanitary standards.
Dr. Mwololo assured residents that the government would address all concerns raised during the forums. “We are going to take into consideration all the concerns that they have raised and be able to come back and give response to what they wish us to clarify on. So yes, we give that reassurance that we will be able to come back and make sure whatever we have indicated is fulfilled,” she affirmed.
The operationalization of the facility is timely, as Kenya is striving to re-establish its livestock export markets, with increasing demand from Gulf States such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, UAE, and Mauritius. These countries require livestock to be quarantined in veterinary-approved, internationally compliant facilities.
Dr. Joseph Wairia, a Veterinary Officer from the Directorate of Veterinary Services, revealed ambitious projections for the facility once it becomes operational. “We have projected that in the short term when this facility is operational in the near future, that we will have about 500,000 sheep and goats being processed, about 50,000 herds of cattle and about 10,000 camels per year,” he disclosed.
He emphasized the economic benefits the project would bring to the region, stating, “This will bring an enormous economic gain to the Taita Taveta County Government and to the country at large, and also enormous opportunities to the neighboring communities and the neighboring ranches who are doing their livestock production activities in the area.”
Due to funding constraints, the government has opted for a lease model to complete and operate the facility. The investor will finish the remaining infrastructure and handle operations while the government retains ownership of the land and assets. All infrastructure improvements will revert to the government at the end of the lease period.
The facility is expected to generate over 50 direct jobs and numerous indirect opportunities in the livestock value chain, including increased demand for fodder, transport, and veterinary services. Additionally, there are projections for potential secondary facilities like export-standard slaughterhouses, tannery and hide processing units, and rendering plants.
Idris Mohammed, a resident and activist from Marungu Ward, supported the project, pointing out that the facility had been dormant for too long. He explained that the station was previously under county government management but collapsed due to financial constraints. Mohammed urged the government to expedite the process of bringing in the investor, noting issues of theft and the need for security.
While some participants expressed concerns about land issues and potential displacement, Mohammed called for the lands department to clearly demarcate public land boundaries to prevent future conflicts.
