Swine fever kills 1,470 pigs in Kiambu as outbreak spreads to six counties
African Swine Fever has caused the death of over 1,400 pigs in Kenya, spreading across six counties and threatening the livestock industry. The government is implementing surveillance and cross-border movement protocols to contain the highly destructive disease.
Why it matters
The outbreak poses a significant threat to food security and the livelihoods of pastoralist communities in East Africa.
More than 20 farms in Kiambu County have lost 1,470 pigs to an outbreak of African Swine Fever since mid-May, and the government says the disease has now spread to six other counties.
The Ministry of Interior and National Administration in a statement on Saturday, September 12, said the Department of Veterinary Services has confirmed outbreaks in Tharaka-Nithi, Busia, Embu, Kakamega, Homa Bay and Migori counties, showing the threat extends well beyond Kiambu.
"In Tharaka-Nithi alone, 108 cases and 97 deaths were recorded between January 5 and 11, 2026," the department said in a statement.
African Swine Fever kills nearly every pig it infects and has no vaccine or cure, making it one of the most destructive livestock diseases in the world. The outbreak leaves farmers with dead herds, disrupts pork supply and threatens the wider livestock trade.
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