Kimalel goat auction goes digital
President William Ruto and Baringo County Governor Benjamin Cheboi with other leaders during the Kimalel Goat Auction and Cultural Festival in Baringo County on December 14, 2023.
When the name Baringo is mentioned, one’s mind instantly drifts to the mouth-watering goat meat synonymous with Koriema, a vibrant trading centre on the Kabarnet-Marigat road.
The delicacy’s famed succulence is attributed to the shrubs the goats feed on and the red soils that characterise the county, giving the meat its unique taste.
Visitors often stop at Koriema to savour this delicacy, turning it into a must-visit destination for meat lovers.
This year, consumers of the famous Baringo goat meat have more reasons to celebrate.
They are to enjoy access to the delicacy all year round courtesy of an online platform to be launched by President William Ruto next Tuesday.
The event will headline the 10th edition of the annual Kimalel Goat Auction and Cultural Fair scheduled for December 16 to 17 in Baringo County.
The Kimalel Goat Auction, a brainchild of retired President Daniel Arap Moi, has been transformed into a digital enterprise.
Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi explained that the county government had partnered with JamboPay and Konza Technopolis to establish a platform that will allow Kenyans to buy Baringo goats throughout the year.
"The platform is now set to revolutionise meat goat sales in the county by ensuring that demand for the delicacy, especially in major towns, is met throughout the year. It guarantees secure online payments and operators will ensure timely deliveries of the goats,” Mr Cheboi said.
The auction dubbed Kimalel Goat Auction is usually held at Kimalel in Baringo South. It generates about Sh70 million in goat sales annually.
Sh141 million slaughterhouse
Thousands of goats are sold at the event while visitors flock to Koriema to enjoy Nyama Choma and takeaway chevon (goat meat).
This year’s event will also feature the unveiling of a Sh141 million slaughterhouse in Mogotio Sub-county expected to be launched by President Ruto.
Funded by the European Union, the facility aims to benefit over 400,000 livestock farmers and traders who account for over 60 percent of Baringo’s population.
The theme of this year's event is "Utamaduni wetu, Mifugo yetu, Utajiri wetu...(Our Culture, Our Livestock, Our Wealth)"
Unlike in the past years, this year’s event will involve cultural dances, a gala night and a goat auction.
“This year's Kimalel goat auction will be different. The event will provide a forum for showcasing the diverse rich culture of the people and sports activities. At the climax of the fete, farmers from all the 30 wards in the county will present their goats for sale,” Mr Cheboi told the Nation. Africa.
On the first day, the event will feature traditional Kaldich boat racing, a fish-eating competition and cultural performances by communities from around Lake Baringo.
The event will conclude at Kimalel grounds on the second day with cultural exhibitions and youth performances blending tradition with modern vibes and the much-anticipated goat auction.
Rift Valley Regional Coordinator Dr Abdi Hassan assured residents of ample security during the festivities.
“We are looking forward to the cultural fair and goat auction. I want to assure residents of the entire Rift Valley of adequate security as they enjoy the festivities. Kenyans are encouraged to visit and sample the rich tourism sites in the Rift Valley,” said Mr Hassan.
The county aims to sell over 5,000 goats this year.
Kimalel Cultural Fair
The Kimalel Goat Auction was started in 1986 under the patronage of retired President Moi and became a popular tradition generating significant income for local farmers. However, it went dormant in 2002 when Moi relinquished power, leaving local herders without the lucrative platform.
The advent of devolution revived the auction now known as the Kimalel Cultural Fair and Goat Auction. The event celebrates Baringo’s cultural heritage while boosting the economic fortunes of local livestock farmers.
During the Moi era, chiefs and their assistants selected the best goats from farmers for the auction. Emaciated goats risked their chiefs facing the president's wrath.
The event was also known for its humour with Moi’s close ally Ezekiel Barngetuny, playfully urging prominent personalities to outdo each other in buying goats.
By the time the auction was paused in 2002, it had raised over Sh50 million from the sale of 31,863 goats, 2,518 sheep, and 180 cows.
While the auction is a significant economic event, it also fosters unity among the Tugen, Ilchamus and Pokot communities who often feud over pasture and water in Baringo County.
The county prides itself as the second largest producer of livestock in the country after Turkana County, with an estimated two million goats and one million cows.
It gets at least Sh2.9 billion from the sale of more than 120,000 animals every year.
Last year, President Ruto and his then-deputy Rigathi Gachagua alone paid Sh15 million for 1,000 goats at the auction.
The auction fetched more than Sh50 million.
It was stopped between 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid -19 pandemic, before its return in 2022.
In 2019, more than 1,700 goats were sold in a record 15 minutes into the event that was presided over by former Turkana governor Josphat Nanok, who represented the then Deputy President Dr Ruto, fetching more than Sh17 million.
The county collected more than Sh1.2 million in revenue from the sale of goats, which retailed at Sh10,000 each. In 2018, the auction raised about Sh25 million.
The auction has fuelled the introduction of others which seem to have gained momentum slowly in the Rift Valley region as various counties seek to create local economic booms, bolster their revenue bases and make livestock farming a key source of income.
So far the event that is fully embraced in Baringo, has been replicated in Nakuru, Narok and Kajiado among other counties in the region.
Livestock farming is an economic mainstay for most of the 14 Rift Valley counties.
Nakuru, for instance, held its first-ever goat auction in March 2018, which netted Sh6 million.
Although it fizzled out in the past years, it is set to be revived.
The auction, dubbed “Nakuru County Easter Goat Auction” which took place at Banita market in Rongai sub-County, saw farmers sell 500 goats.
Other counties like Kajiado and Narok have also held similar auctions.
