Nairobi, September 15, 2025 — Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Sen. Mutahi Kagwe, today officially opened the 37th General Conference of the International Scientific Council for Trypanosomiasis Research and Control (ISCTRC) at the Mövenpick Hotel, Nairobi.
The opening ceremony was attended by Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke, State Department for Livestock Development, Dr. Huyam Salih, Director of AU-IBAR, Mr. Geoffrey Muttai, Chairman of KENTTEC, Dr. Seth Onyango, CEO of KENTTEC, Prof. Ndung’u, Chairman of ISCTRC, alongside scientists, international partners, and more than 200 delegates from across Africa and beyond.
In his remarks, CS Kagwe reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to eliminating tsetse flies and trypanosomiasis, noting the historic milestone achieved in June 2025 when the World Health Organization (WHO) validated Kenya’s elimination of Human African Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) as a public health problem.
He highlighted the importance of innovation, One Health approaches, and international collaboration in protecting livestock, boosting farm productivity, and safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods.
“By freeing our rangelands from the tsetse menace, we will contribute significantly to increased livestock productivity under Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA),” the CS stated.
The five-day conference, held under the theme “Harnessing One Health Technologies and Innovations Towards Eliminating Trypanosomiasis in Africa”, provides a platform for policymakers, researchers, and experts to share knowledge, review control strategies, and recommend solutions to one of Africa’s most persistent agricultural and public health challenges.
CS Kagwe commended the efforts of KENTTEC, AU-IBAR, WHO, FAO, WOAH, IAEA, and African Union Member States for their collaboration in tackling trypanosomiasis, stressing that joint partnerships remain key to sustainable progress.
The ISCTRC conference is a biennial event that brings together global stakeholders to address the burden of tsetse and trypanosomiasis on Africa’s agriculture, food security, and livelihoods. Kenya last hosted the 36th edition in Mombasa in 2023.
As discussions unfold in Nairobi this week, the conference is expected to produce actionable recommendations to accelerate the elimination of both Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) and Animal African Trypanosomiasis (AAT) across the continent.
