Nairobi, June 2 -- President William Ruto's announcement of a Sh5 billion livestock investment initiative targeting 21 arid and semi-arid counties gives the sector a new impetus.

The money will seed establishment of County Livestock Investment Companies, enabling pastoralists to form and own production firms. Similar to tea factories, the companies will give herders greater control over marketing, financing, insurance and value-addition opportunities.

This will be good news for the more then eight million Kenyans whose livelihood is based on pastoralism. Madaraka Day celebrations at Wajir was the perfect backdrop for government to formally apologise for regional marginalisation of yesteryears, and to back it with concrete support to the...