The annual Kimalel goat auction took place in Baringo on Thursday, reviving memories of the Moi era when the cultural fair was treated with much fanfare.
During the late Daniel Arap Moi's reign, chiefs were normally tasked with selecting the best goats from farmers in their respective areas for the annual goat auction, which was usually graced by President Moi and the country's top political leadership.
Each year, thousands of goats would be auctioned and any chief who brought emaciated goats would face the wrath of the President, who would personally inspect the goats before they were sold.
One chief was once summarily dismissed for failing to bring the required number of goats from his area to be sold at the auction.
The auction began in 1986 as an initiative by President Moi to improve the living standards of farmers in Baringo, most of whom depended on livestock for their livelihoods.
Ezekiel Barng'etuny, a Moi ally and former nominated MP, was the pioneer auctioneer. At the first auction more than 8,000 goats were sold through bidding in just one day.
The auction was revived in 2014, but Barng'etuny's death a few days before the auction forced Baringo County government to find someone else to oversee the auction.
Erick Bett, a Moi ally and former Kenya Postal Corporation boss, took over as the chief auctioneer at the event that was graced by former President Uhuru Kenyatta with several dignitaries in attendance, including former President Moi.
Bett also recounted how on that occasion he got in trouble with the then Baringo Senator Gideon Moi and other county government leaders.
“Three days before the auction, Barng’etuny, the famous auctioneer and organiser of the event passed on. The event was attended by President Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto, former President Moi, among other dignitaries and they needed someone to step in as the auctioneer. I was called to take the position,” Bett recounted.
According to Bett, President Kenyatta was under pressure to attend another function in Nairobi. The Head of State informed him that he wanted to leave.
“He told me to continue selling the goats but allow him to go quietly for the said meeting in Nairobi. But I told the President that if he left, the entire crowd would follow him and the event would end. I advised him to just give us just 20 minutes and he agreed, albeit reluctantly,” explained Bett.
Before the 20 minutes were up, he said, the President called him again.
“I went to the dais where he was seated. Mark you I was breaking the protocol. I knelt before him and he told me that he would pay for the remaining goats but I should invite him right away to close the auction and leave, otherwise he would leave in a huff,” he explained.
As this was a presidential order, the auctioneer took the microphone and invited the President as ordered.
"All hell broke loose, the moment I took the microphone and invited the President. In the programme, Senator Moi was supposed to give a vote of thanks and invite the President to announce the collections of the day. The Senator and other local leaders were mad at me, asking who I was to invite the President,” said Mr Bett.
“I suffered the consequences of my actions because it was a serious breach of protocol. I feared because I was left with an egg on my face. I goofed, but was I to defy the President? There were no protocols to be followed at that time because it was a directive,” Bett defended his actions.
“I ended up becoming the shortest-serving auctioneer because I encountered a lot of problems thereafter. I breached the protocol out of no fault of my own. President Kenyatta had even given me an appointment to meet him the following week but that appointment did not materialise. I wish anyone who does the job the best of luck; it is not easy… I don’t envy whoever does it,” said Mr Bett.
The Baringo County government revived the famous goat auction in 2014, introducing cultural components to make it an entertaining event that has raised millions of shillings to support farmers.
The famous goat auction was suspended in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and resumed in December last year.
This year's auction raised more than Sh40 million from the sale of more than 3,000 goats in a matter of minutes, with President Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua buying goats worth Sh15 million.
The President and his deputy bought 1,000 goats worth Sh15,000 each.
While presiding over the annual event at Kimalel grounds in Baringo South on Thursday, the President insisted on cash payments for the sales, categorically stating that he would not allow goat buyers to write cheques or take goats on credit.
"I want us to buy the goats now and I am not going to accept any cheque from the buyers, only cash transactions. Together with my deputy, we are buying Sh1,000 goats at Sh15,000 while the other buyers can purchase at Sh13,000 as they have agreed,” said President Ruto, who collected more than Sh40 million from the dignitaries who bought the goats.
The event was also attended by Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Simon Chelugui (MSMEs), Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi, Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wesley Rotich, Senators William Cheptumo (Baringo) and Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho), among others.
Murkomen and Chelugui bought 150 goats each, while ICT Principal Secretary John Tanui and Governor Cheboi purchased 100 goats each.
The county government sold more than 3,000 goats up from 1,500 last year.
The goat auction is expected to be further modernised when a Sh141 million slaughterhouse that is under construction in Mogotio Sub-County is complete.
The multi-million-shilling project, funded by the European Union, is expected to benefit more than 400,000 livestock farmers and traders, accounting for more than 60 per cent of the county’s population.
According to Governor Cheboi, the slaughterhouse will adopt a sustainable market-oriented strategy. It is designed to handle more than 1,000 small livestock (sheep and goats) and 200 large livestock (cattle).
