Kiambu defends piglet programme as swine fever kills 1,470 pigs

Jukwaa

📻 Breaking It Down

The county, in a statement, said the disease was a national animal health challenge and was not unique to Kiambu, as it sought to distance Governor Kimani Wamatangi’s piglet programme from the outbreak.

The statement came as farmers in Kiambu continued to count losses from the highly contagious disease, with some herds suffering mortality rates of up to 100 per cent. The outbreak has been reported mainly in Juja, Thika and Ruiru.

The scale of the losses has left some farmers facing the collapse of businesses they had built over several years.

📌 What You Need to Know

In one case, a farmer in neighbouring Ruai lost all 156 pigs in about 72 hours, putting his losses at nearly Sh3 million. Peter Gitonga Kimani said the herd represented years of investment and was his family’s main source of income.

“I had 156 pigs and during this day on 24th June 2026 my farm was hit by the African swine flu and I lost all my stock,” Kimani said.

The losses have raised concerns among pig farmers over the future of the industry, with some holding back from restocking.

Responding to claims that animals distributed through its programme could have contributed to the outbreak, the county said all piglets supplied to beneficiaries are sourced from the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), a government-owned agricultural research institution.

It said the programme, spearheaded by Governor Wamatangi, operates in partnership with KALRO and that the animals are sourced from the organisation under established animal health and breeding standards.

“Therefore, attempts to link the Kiambu County Government piglets programme to the outbreak of African Swine Fever is directly saying KALRO, which is a national government parastatal, has been breeding and distributing infected piglets, which is definitely untrue,” the county said.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya

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