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Adeladius Makwega – Mbagala
On May 20, 2026, Mwanakwetu visited the Livestock Department at the Office of the Regional Commissioner of Mara. He was warmly received by Mr. Mathias Mathew Lusheleja, the Regional Livestock Advisor.
While there, Mwanakwetu wanted to know what was currently taking place in this public office. Mr. Lusheleja explained:
“So far, we have been completing the livestock identification exercise through ear tagging, along with the first phase of vaccination. After receiving 175,612,000 Tanzanian shillings, Mara Region has managed to vaccinate 561,597 cattle, 127,373 goats, 104,015 sheep, and 1,467,901 chickens.”
Speaking about the vaccination effort, he said that the first phase began on January 15, 2026. After vaccination, the next step is to assess how well the animals have responded.
“You see, in July 2026 we will begin the second phase of vaccination. But now we are examining whether the animal’s cells have developed increased immunity. The goal is not just to vaccinate, because some animals may still have weak immunity even after vaccination. Therefore, specialists from livestock laboratories come to conduct research using selected samples, while we at the regional level mainly facilitate their work.”
Mwanakwetu also asked about the challenges faced during the first phase:
“The main challenge is insufficient funding. We requested 250 million shillings but received only about 175 million, which is roughly 70%. This shortage led to a lack of essential tools for the exercise. There was also low participation from stakeholders, including livestock keepers. Some farmers hold misconceptions that vaccinating their animals will cause death. Additionally, in some areas livestock officers were assigned other duties, neglecting their primary responsibilities. There were also network issues that sometimes caused the system to fail and halt the exercise.”
Mr. Lusheleja emphasized that these challenges are not mentioned to blame anyone, but to encourage all stakeholders in the livestock sector to fulfill their responsibilities so that the second phase can be more successful.
After the discussion, Mwanakwetu parted ways with Mr. Lusheleja and went on to write this article.
So, what is Mwanakwetu saying today?
According to the Mara Regional Statistician, Mr. Issa Rajabu Mbombwe, by April 2026 the region had an estimated population of 2,372,015 people. Assuming an average of five people per household, this equals about 474,403 households.
According to Mr. Lusheleja, by April 2026 Mara Region had: 1,428,292 cattle, 579,131 sheep, 661,793 goats and 2,148,309 chickens
“Based on these figures, it is clear that on average:One household keeps 3 cattle, One household keeps 1 sheep , One household keeps 1.5 goats , One household keeps 5 chickens.”
This analysis leads to the summary: 3 cattle, 1 sheep, 1.5 goats, and 5 chickens per household.
“Mara Region can set targets to increase livestock numbers by adding 7 more cattle, 9 more sheep, 8.5 more goats, and 5 more chickens per household, in order to reach a goal of 10 animals of each type per household. This would significantly improve productivity, both for food (protein) and income, and would transform the region’s livestock sector.”
Mwanakwetu suggests that even a two-year plan could be set to achieve this goal.
This idea applies not only to Mara Region but also to other regions in Tanzania, including Singida where by his sister Halima Omari Dendego works.
Mwanakwetu, are you there? Remember:
“Livestock stakeholders, fulfill your responsibilities.”
I wish you a good day.
0717649257
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