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Will Kimalel Goat Auction become Covid victim?

 

Will the famous Baringo Kimalel Goat Auction take place this December or fall victim to Covid-19?

Might it go online?

On Tuesday, anxious farmers said on Tuesday they have not received word from the county government.

Governor Stanley Kiptis did not respond to phone or text messages from the Star asking whether the auction would be held.

“Every year since 2014 we used to be alerted as early as September so we could prepare our animals well ahead of sales in December,” Marigat farmer Elijah Kandagor said.

The auction was as established by former President Daniel Moi way in 1986 but it stalled when he retired in 2002.

The annual event aimed at changing lives was revived in December 2014 under Baringo's first governor under devolution, Benjamin Cheboi.

Kandogor said he always sells his goats at the auction.

“The pricing is good, it really helps pay my children's school fees and buying my family food," he told the Star on Tuesday.

He urged the county to announce very soon whether the market will be held this year or not.

“I want to be told early that the auction won’t materialise this year because of Covid-19. Then I can sell my goats somewhere else," Kandogor said.

Kimalel location Chief Reuben Kandagor also said the county hasn't told him whether the auction will go ahead.

“I wish I knew so I could mobilise my people to assemble their goats early," he said.

County Agriculture and Livestock chief officer Winnie Bore hinted the auction might not take place.

“By now we are yet to receive any go-ahead from our county boss, Governor Kiptis, so we can plan the event.

"In case it happens, then we project it may take place online owing to Covid-19," she said.

Efforts to reach Governor Kiptis by phone were unsuccessful and it is said he is not keen for the event to take place this year.

He also didn’t reply to text messages saying, "Your Excellency, on the issue of the Kimalel Goat Auction, what are the plans for this year?"

ONLINE STOCK SALE

Unlike the online sell of meat products, residents are used to seeing and feeling livestock before they decide to buy.

It is said that to avoid crowds and spread of the coronavirus, organisers might take photos of he animals and then send them to prospective buyers. They would pay by mobile money transfer, cash or cheque.

But when you buy online, you can't always be sure of quality.

“Sometime back I sent money to someone to buy me goats and he came back with sick ones. I lost money," Kerio Valley farmer Joseph Noti said.

Last year, 2,000 goats were sold at Kimalel, compared to 2,600 in 2018.

Last year, Sh20 million was collected, compared with Sh26 million in 2018.

The goats were being sold in cash following a directive by Deputy President William Ruto in 2018 after media highlighted outstanding debts.

Last year, Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok presided over the auction.

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