Kericho Governor Dr. Erick Mutai has ordered an immediate crackdown on unlicensed raw milk vendors and brokers, declaring that the purchase, aggregation and distribution of raw milk outside the county’s licensing framework is illegal.
The governor said the county government would intensify enforcement against illegal milk aggregators to protect dairy farmers from exploitation and ensure milk is marketed through licensed channels. He noted that strengthening cooperative societies remains central to the county’s strategy to improve farmers’ earnings by eliminating middlemen who deny producers fair returns.
Dr. Mutai said the county would continue investing in the dairy sector through milk cooling plants, feed mixers, artificial insemination services and Enterprise Development Programme (EDP) grants to registered cooperative societies. He said the interventions are intended to increase milk production, improve quality, promote value addition and enable farmers to earn higher incomes.
“Our focus is to build strong cooperative societies that can collect, process and market farmers’ milk competitively. We will continue investing in cooling infrastructure, animal feeds, quality breeding and farmer empowerment because a stronger dairy sector translates into better household incomes, more jobs for our youth and sustained economic growth for Kericho,” said Dr. Mutai.
The governor made the remarks during the funeral service of the late schoolteacher and farmer Ann Chebochok at the Kericho Golf Club Grounds on Friday.
Besides addressing dairy sector reforms, Dr. Mutai called for urgent measures to curb the rising number of road fatalities, saying improved highways must be accompanied by enhanced road safety interventions.
He urged the national government to fast-track the installation of speed cameras, improve hazardous sections of roads, strengthen enforcement of traffic laws and intensify public awareness campaigns aimed at reducing accidents and protecting road users.
“Every life lost on our roads is a reminder that we must do more. We need a combination of better road designs, strict enforcement of traffic regulations and the use of technology such as speed monitoring systems to prevent reckless driving and save lives,” he said.
Chebochok, the sister of former Bomet Governor and current Judicial Service Commission Vice Chairperson Isaac Ruto, died in a road accident along Nairobi’s Southern Bypass.
According to her family, the accident occurred a few minutes before 6:00 a.m. A post-mortem examination established that she succumbed to severe internal organ injuries sustained in the crash.
Her daughter, who was travelling with her, survived the accident after sustaining minor injuries and was discharged after receiving medical attention.
Dr. Mutai described Chebochok as a dedicated teacher, accomplished farmer and community leader whose commitment to agriculture and public service positively impacted many lives. He said continued support for farmers and stronger agricultural cooperatives would help preserve the legacy of hardworking producers like her while promoting sustainable economic development in the county.
The funeral service brought together national and county leaders, including Principal Secretary for the State Department for Water and Sanitation Julius Korir, Bomet Governor Prof. Hillary Barchok, Kericho Woman Representative Beatrice Kemei, Isaac Ruto, family members, friends and hundreds of mourners who gathered to celebrate Chebochok’s life, honour her contribution to society and stand with her family during the difficult period.
By Kelox Mutai
