NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 14 – The Kiambu County Government has rejected claims linking its piglet distribution programme to an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) that has killed about 1,470 pigs on more than 20 farms in the county since mid-May.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.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.Piglet programmeResponding 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.The county said the programme has so far benefited more than 70,000 men and young people across Kiambu, enabling households to venture into commercial pig farming and improve their incomes.It maintained that claims linking the programme to ASF were “false and misleading”.The defence comes against the backdrop of a wider outbreak that has affected several parts of the country. Besides Kiambu, significant outbreaks have been reported in Tharaka-Nithi, Busia, Embu, Kakamega, Homa Bay and Migori.Tharaka-Nithi recorded 108 cases and 97 deaths between January 5 and 11, according to the Department of Veterinary Services.Farmers face difficult recoveryAfrican Swine Fever is particularly devastating because there is no commercially available vaccine or cure. The disease can spread rapidly between pigs and, in severe outbreaks, wipe out entire herds.Director of Veterinary Services Allan Azegele has said biosecurity remains the main line of defence against the disease, with farmers advised to restrict movement of people, animals and equipment between farms and report suspected cases promptly.For farmers who have lost entire herds, however, containment is only the first challenge. They must also find a way to replace breeding stock, recover investments in housing and feed and restore an income stream that may have disappeared within days.The outbreak has consequently placed renewed focus on disease surveillance, farm biosecurity and compensation or other support mechanisms for farmers who lose livestock to outbreaks.The government has intensified surveillance and response measures, while also monitoring livestock movement as it seeks to prevent the disease from spreading further.The Kiambu County Government’s piglet distribution programme is one of the county’s flagship initiatives aimed at supporting youth and households to venture into commercial pig farming. The programme provides beneficiaries with breeding stock, with the county saying it is designed to create income-generating opportunities and improve household livelihoods.According to the county government, the piglets distributed under the programme are sourced from the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), a national agricultural research institution. Kiambu says the arrangement is intended to ensure beneficiaries receive quality breeding stock produced under established animal health and breeding standards.The programme, spearheaded by Governor Kimani Wamatangi, has reportedly reached more than 70,000 men and young people across the county. The county says beneficiaries have used the animals to establish commercial pig enterprises, with some farmers expanding their herds and creating additional income from the sale of pigs and related products.The programme has, however, come under renewed scrutiny following the outbreak of African Swine Fever in parts of Kiambu and reports of significant losses among pig farmers. The county has rejected claims that its distributed piglets are responsible for the outbreak, arguing that linking the programme to the disease would amount to suggesting that KALRO supplied infected animals.