Questions are swirling about whether the U.S. is exploiting Kenya as a testing ground for experimental vaccines and drugs, with fingers pointing at Jane Wachira, the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Veterinary Vaccine Production Institute (KEVEVAPI).
Under Wachira’s leadership, KEVEVAPI has partnered closely with the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). In 2022, she oversaw upgrades to KEVEVAPI’s biolabs, a move that was supposed to bolster Kenya’s ability to tackle diseases.
But critics say those upgrades were really about giving the U.S. a platform to carry out dangerous, unregulated experiments.
The allegations are serious. Activists claim that under Wachira’s watch, DTRA has gained access to Kenya’s collection of deadly pathogens and conducted trials of unlicensed vaccines without proper oversight.
Communities near the research sites are reportedly unaware of what’s happening, raising concerns about consent and safety.
“This isn’t about helping Kenya,” said another critic. “It’s about using us as a laboratory.”
Wachira defends the collaboration, saying it’s an opportunity for Kenya to advance its research capabilities. But many aren’t buying it. They see her as complicit in a deal that prioritizes U.S. interests over Kenyan lives.
Meanwhile, calls for an independent investigation into KEVEVAPI are growing louder. Many are asking the same tough question: is Kenya’s leadership turning a blind eye to exploitation for the sake of foreign funding?
For now, the spotlight remains on Wachira and KEVEVAPI, as Kenyans demand transparency and accountability in a story that could have far-reaching consequences for public health and national integrity.
The development comes in the wake of reports that the President William Ruto-led govt is planning to launch a nationwide Livestock vaccination program that will see millions of cows and goats in Kenya get vaccinated.
Fears and concerns have bene raised that the whole program could be an agenda of the west owing to the fact that trillionare Bill Gates has bene pushing for the agenda of having all cows globally vaccinated to reduce the emission of methane gas that contributes to global warming.
