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More than 20 farms in Juja, Thika and Ruiru, Kiambu County, have been affected by an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak since Mid-May, with about 1,470 pigs reported sick and/or dead. Some herds recorded mortality of up to 100 per cent, making the Kiambu outbreak the most significant reported in Kenya so far and exposing weaknesses in the country’s disease surveillance system.
In response, the government has directed county veterinary departments to strengthen disease surveillance, improve farm biosecurity, restrict the movement of pigs and activate rapid response teams. The disease has also caused significant losses in Tharaka-Nithi, Busia, Embu, Kakamega, Siaya and Migori counties. Surveillance data for January to June 2026 showed particularly severe losses in Tharaka-Nithi, where 108 cases and 97 deaths were recorded between 5th and 11th of January, representing a case fatality rate of nearly 90 per cent.
The authorities have also raised concern over apparently healthy pigs carrying and spreading the virus. Sampling along the Kenya-Uganda border detected ASF virus in the tissues of 15.9 per cent of apparently healthy pigs, suggesting that asymptomatic carriers could silently maintain transmission and trigger new outbreaks, particularly when animals are exposed to stress.
To strengthen disease control, the government is developing an Animal Identification and Traceability System (ANITRAC) to track animals, their owners, health history and movements from birth to slaughter, export or other final destinations. Veterinary authorities are prioritising surveillance in high-risk areas, particularly Kiambu, Tharaka-Nithi, Embu and border regions, while also increasing farmer education on biosecurity, early reporting and the risks posed by apparently healthy carrier pigs.
August 15, 2026/Kiambu-Kenya/
https://nation.africa/kenya/
