Kenyan Bill Threatens Massive Ksh 500K Fine, Jail for Home Animal Rearing
Kenyan individuals who raise farm animals without proper licensing could soon be subjected to a penalty of Ksh500,000, six-month imprisonment, or both.
The Animal Production Professionals and Technicians Bill 2023 aims to delineate a plan that includes the training, registration, and licensing of individuals and businesses involved in animal production, encompassing professionals, technicians, and specialists in the field.
Moreover, the proposed legislation aims to oversee the norms and methodologies within the field of Animal Production. It defines animal production as the maintenance of farm animals for sustenance, economic, and cultural intentions.
“Any person who carries out animal production services without having been registered under this Act, or otherwise contravenes any provisions of this Part, commits an offense and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding Ksh500,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both,” reads part of the bill.
Individuals from Kenya who wish to obtain a license must apply to the Animal Production Professionals Board. Following the payment of the specified fee, they will need to await approval within a designated timeframe.
Every license granted will remain effective from the first of January to the thirty-first of December within the year it is issued. During this period, the board reserves the right to suspend the license for diverse reasons, such as the provision of inaccurate information in the application.
Significantly, individuals from other countries might be eligible to obtain licenses if they adhere to the established criteria, which includes having provided animal production services in a different nation.
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Following authorization, the board will retain the name and pertinent information of the individual or company. Additionally, registered members must adhere to paying an annual fee specified by the board.
If the license is revoked, the individual must hand over their registration certificate to the board’s Registrar or face a penalty of Ksh50,000.
Apart from granting licenses, the board has the responsibility to offer guidance to the government regarding animal production, research, education, and job opportunities. Additionally, it will work alongside universities and similar educational establishments to enhance the handling of issues within the livestock industry, among its various other duties.
In the interim, the board will provide programs focused on enhancing the licensee’s abilities, offering professional development opportunities in animal production from reputable institutions nationwide. Participants in these programs will be eligible to earn credit points.
“Every registered and licensed person under this Act shall undertake annual continuing professional development activities,” reads part of the bill.
Following the division among Kenyans caused by the Livestock Bill 2023, which requires all farmers who produce animal feeds to obtain a license or risk a penalty of Ksh20,000 or six months of imprisonment.
Kenyan Bill Threatens Massive Ksh 500K Fine, Jail for Home Animal Rearing
