• A pig farmer in Ruai, Nairobi, has lost Ksh2.9 million after African swine fever killed all 156 pigs on his farm within 72 hours, as the virus spreads to more counties.
Ruai Pig Farmer Loses Ksh2.9 Million as African Swine Fever Wipes Out Entire Herd
Peter Gitonga Kimani, a pig farmer in Kona Mbaya area. PHOTO/screengrab by People Daily

A pig farmer in Ruai, Nairobi, is counting losses running into millions after an outbreak of African swine fever wiped out his entire herd within three days.

Peter Gitonga Kimani, a farmer in the Kona Mbaya area, said he lost 156 pigs within 72 hours after the disease struck his farm on June 24, 2026. He estimates the total loss at Ksh2.9 million.

“I had 156 pigs in total. And during this day on 24th June 2026, my farm was hit by African swine fever, and I lost entirely the whole stock that I had,” Gitonga said.

The farmer said the rapid deaths left him with no source of income, as pig farming was the main livelihood for his family.

How the herd was wiped out in 72 hours

The speed of the loss has left Gitonga struggling to explain how a thriving pig enterprise collapsed in just three days.

He said 109 pigs died by the evening of June 24, leaving only 47 animals alive on the farm.

By the following morning, only six pigs remained.

“At around 7:00 in the evening, I had lost 109 pigs, and the remaining were 47 of them. That same evening, the next day, on 25th June, that morning, the remaining were six of them from the 47 that had remained. And on the 25th at night, I lost entirely the whole stock,” he said.

Gitonga said the timing of the outbreak made the loss even more painful. He had been preparing to sell a large number of the pigs within a week.

“My total loss here on the farm is about 2 to 3 million because actually I was almost able to release a big number of the baconers I had in one week’s time,” he said.

The farmer said the loss had affected his entire family because the farm was their main source of income.

“It was very unfortunate for me losing entirely the whole stock and losing the whole amount and losing my daily bread, because this is what my family depends on entirely,” he said.

Virus spreads to more farms and counties

African swine fever is a highly contagious viral disease that affects pigs and can cause high mortality. There is currently no approved vaccine for the disease, which makes control efforts difficult once an outbreak occurs.

Since May 2026, the virus has reportedly killed about 1,500 pigs on more than 20 farms in Kiambu County.

The Department of Veterinary Services has heightened surveillance and response measures in counties where the disease has been reported.

These counties include Tharaka Nithi, Embu, Kakamega, Busia, Homa Bay and Migori.

The spread of the disease across several counties has raised concerns among pig farmers, who are now calling on the government to act quickly to prevent further losses.

Gitonga has appealed to the government to intervene and cushion farmers who have lost their livestock and sources of livelihood.

The latest developments also come against the backdrop of previous influenza outbreaks in Kenya.

In 2022, Nakuru health officials reported 143 human cases of seasonal influenza A (H1N1), but clarified that the variant was not the one that causes influenza in animals.

Nakuru County Acting Chief Officer for Public Health Services Daniel Wainaina said at the time that the human influenza virus was different from the animal disease.

“The variant detected in Nakuru is not the one that causes influenza in animals,” Wainaina said.

For pig farmers across the country, the message is clear. Biosecurity measures, early reporting of unusual deaths and strict movement controls remain the best defence against a disease that can wipe out years of investment in a matter of days.

BY: Sharon Atieno

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