KVA asks Parliament to resolve 19-year veterinary pay dispute

Nairobi, Kenya – Veterinary professionals are demanding state-funded internships and equal pay with other health workers, as the Kenya Veterinary Association (KVA) warns that insufficient funding could jeopardize animal disease control and food safety measures. Appearing before the National Assembly's Labour Committee, KVA President Dr. Kelvin Osore stated that the profession has been seeking remuneration review since 2007 without success.

Dr. Osore explained that, despite veterinary doctors being classified under health occupations, their salaries and allowances have not been brought into line with international standards or Kenyan job classifications.

The association is particularly focused on improving the financial support for veterinary graduates during their mandatory internships, which currently earn around Sh27,000, significantly less than their counterparts in other health fields. KVA is also pushing for the harmonization of allowances, such as risk, extraneous, non-practice, and call allowances, acknowledging that veterinary workers face significant occupational risks due to exposure to infectious diseases and hazards related to animal handling, slaughter, and disease-control operations.

The dispute escalates as the government aims to boost livestock production, a sector that accounts for 42% of agricultural GDP and 12% of Kenya's total GDP. Over 10 million people in arid and semi-arid regions rely heavily on livestock for their livelihoods, underscoring the critical need for accessible veterinary services to maintain animal health, household incomes, and trade.

KVA has linked the pay issue to the country's ability to combat zoonotic diseases, which can transfer between animals and humans. Veterinary professionals play a vital role in disease surveillance, vaccinations, food safety, reporting, and controlling antimicrobial resistance. Government priorities include strengthening animal health in the context of emerging threats like Rift Valley fever and African swine fever, with robust surveillance and veterinary capacity forming part of the One Health initiative.

According to the Kenya Veterinary Board's 2025 registers, there are 4,781 registered veterinary practitioners, yet 60% of Kenya's livestock population resides in arid and semi-arid areas where service delivery faces logistical challenges. Dr. Osore reported that KVA has been in discussions with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, Public Service Commission, National Treasury, and the State Department for Livestock Development regarding the matter.

While a government position on harmonization was agreed upon in 2007 and reiterated in a 2017 Treasury circular, implementation has yet to materialize. Now, KVA is urging Parliament to step in, warning that continued inaction could eventually lead to industrial action.