PhD thesis Title Page Final _Richard Juma - Victoria University ...

this ideal number is compared with the actual size of herds, it becomes
clear that most Turkana households are currently vulnerable to periodic
droughts.
In the Turkana District, there are also very limited veterinary services and
the imposition of quarantine has become the endemic reaction to the
outbreak of livestock diseases. Indeed, the Turkana district has been
under permanent and rigorous cattle quarantine since colonial days.
According to Spencer (1983), the quarantine policy provided the colonial
regime with a means to confiscate much of the land with the highest
agricultural potential for the settlers. Informants lamented that:
For almost 43 years now since independence, the
district has been under permanent quarantine because
of the existence of contagious Bovine pleurapneumonia
(CBPP). Lack of enough free veterinary
services has also made it difficult for the Turkana
people to reap the benefits of modern animal
husbandry (Household Interview 19 th May 2007,
Morulem village; Household Interview 22 nd June 2007,
Lokichar Village).
This state of affairs not only restricts cattle sales but also encourages
overstocking, and therefore overgrazing. Overstocking and overgrazing are
serious ecological problems in the Turkana District at present (Republic of
Kenya 2002).
Reciprocal claims: Reciprocal claims are considered as a saving
process 84 . In many senses, Turkana people see their livestock as belonging
not only to individuals, but also to the extended family. In some cases, the
number of livestock paid as bridewealth is often much larger than one
man can pay, and the size and composition of bridewealth depends on the
wealth of the bridegroom and that of his extended family. According to key
84 Reciprocity is covered in detail in Chapter 5 whilst discussing Turkana social
organisation.
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