Principal Secretary for Livestock Development Jonathan Mueke clarified that the government is targeting the domesticated Murrah water buffalo breed from India, not the wild buffaloes found in Kenya’s national parks.
Speaking in an Interview on October 13, Mueke said the breed produces high-fat milk, making it suitable for processing into high-value dairy products such as butter, cheese, yogurt, and ghee.
“We are not going for the wild buffalo that are out in the national park. This is a domesticated buffalo formerly known as a water buffalo, and the specific breed we are looking at from India is the Murrah breed,” he said.
He added that the milk’s nutritional quality and high fat content could support the production of a range of dairy products.
PS Jonathan Mueke Explains Kenya’s Plan to Import Buffaloes From India
Mueke said the government would initially import the animals for research at a government farm, where experts would study their feeding patterns, behaviour and husbandry requirements before they are introduced to private farmers.
He explained that the proposed importation follows research and collaboration between Kenyan and Indian veterinary officers, who determined that the animals were safe for human consumption.
Mueke said the government had also gazetted water buffaloes as a food item, allowing their milk and meat to be consumed in Kenya.
The research will help establish how the animals can be raised under Kenyan conditions before the government considers making them available to individual farmers.
Research and Testing First
The Principal Secretary said the animals suit Kenya because they are hardier than conventional dairy cows and convert feed more efficiently, which could help farmers facing feed shortages and drought.
“For research purposes, we will import as government first for our government farms, especially our genetics organization, so that we can understand the animal husbandry around it and its feeding patterns before we import it for private farmers,” he added.
He noted that water buffaloes are also valued for their meat, which he described as leaner and lower in fat than conventional beef.
Their larger, tougher hides could also support the leather industry, particularly in the production of furniture and other products requiring large pieces of leather.
Also Read: Ruto Floats Buffalo Idea as Solution to Milk Shortage
According to Mueke, the government has completed the standards process for importing the animals, leaving the purchase and importation arrangements to be finalized.
He said the government had been working on the process and intended to facilitate a government-to-government arrangement with India to bring the animals into Kenya.
According to him, the proposed research will help determine whether water buffaloes can provide an additional source of milk, meat and leather under local farming conditions.
Ruto on Milking Buffaloes
President William Ruto proposed introducing domesticated water buffaloes into Kenya’s dairy sector to diversify milk production and help address recurring cow milk shortages.
Speaking at the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Summit at Jamhuri Park in Nairobi on October 8, 2026, President William Ruto asked Livestock Development Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke to source improved breeds of camels and buffaloes.
Ruto questioned why Kenya could not explore buffalo milk production, noting that other countries already rear the animals for dairy purposes.
“I had told the Livestock PS to bring in good breeds of camels and buffaloes. I hear buffaloes also produce a lot of milk. If others are milking them, why can’t we do the same?” he said.
He pointed to India, where water buffaloes are widely reared and contribute a significant share of the country’s milk supply and dairy production.
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