The Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Hon. Sen. Mutahi Kagwe, has strongly opposed ongoing attempts to merge the regulation of human and veterinary medicines through proposed bills currently before the Kenyan Parliament and the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), warning that such a move would violate global best practices and put both animal and public health at risk.
Speaking during a visit to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) facility in Loersho, CS Kagwe said the separation of human and veterinary medicines is a deliberate policy decision informed by science, food safety, and international regulatory standards, and must not be reversed through legislation.
“Human medicines and veterinary medicines are fundamentally different. Their use, regulation, risks, and impact on food systems are not the same. That is why the separation introduced in 2015 remains valid and non-negotiable,” CS Kagwe said.
The CS cautioned that attempts to collapse veterinary medicines regulation into a human medicines authority, through bills currently under consideration in Parliament and EALA, go against international best practices and Kenya’s obligations under the East African Community (EAC) and COMESA frameworks.
He noted that proposals emerging from mediation processes between the Senate and the National Assembly are particularly worrying, adding that the Ministry will actively engage lawmakers at national and regional levels to safeguard the integrity of veterinary medicines regulation.
“Even regionally, EAC and COMESA should uphold the separation of human and animal medicines. We will not allow Kenya to be the weak link,” he added.
CS Kagwe emphasized that the Veterinary Medicines Directorate is a critical institution, especially during the current drought, when disease pressure on livestock is high and misuse of medicines can cause devastating losses to pastoralists and farmers.
Principal Secretary for Livestock Development, Jonathan Mueke, said veterinary medicines regulation directly impacts human health through food safety, antimicrobial resistance, and environmental protection, underscoring the need to strengthen VMD rather than dilute its mandate.
The CS also called on county governments to align closely with VMD, noting that issuing a business license does not qualify anyone to dispense veterinary medicines.
“A county permit is not a professional license. Dispensing veterinary medicines without approval from the Directorate is illegal and will lead to prosecution,”CS Kagwe warned.
Plans for structured annual engagement with practitioners at county level, including veterinary medicines conferences, public sensitization programs, and strengthened intergovernmental coordination were also announced.
The Ministry is rolling out reforms to strengthen VMD, including recruitment of additional staff, an annual internship program for 1,500 young professionals, and the establishment of regional offices to enhance regulatory coverage. Plans are also underway to operationalize the National Veterinary Medicines Quality Control Laboratory to ensure quality assurance.
CS Kagwe reaffirmed that the Veterinary Practice Bill will anchor the Directorate in law and guarantee its institutional stability.
“We will defend the separation of human and veterinary medicines because it protects our farmers, our consumers, and our country,” the CS concluded.
