More than 1,470 pigs have died from African Swine Fever (ASF) in Kiambu County since mid-May 2026, with outbreaks also reported in six other Kenyan counties.
The government says the disease has affected more than 20 farms in Kiambu and is stepping up measures to prevent further spread.
According to the Department of Veterinary Services, significant ASF outbreaks have also been reported in Tharaka-Nithi, Busia, Embu, Kakamega, Homa Bay and Migori counties.
In Tharaka-Nithi alone, 108 cases and 97 deaths were recorded between January 5 and 11, 2026.
The Ministry of Interior and National Administration shared the update during a meeting of the Border Control and Operations Coordination Committee (BCOCC), chaired by Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo.
Authorities say they have increased disease surveillance, prevention and response efforts, while also monitoring the movement of livestock and pastoralist communities across borders to reduce the risk of cross-border disease transmission.
Kenya is seeking to expand its pig sector, which contributes an estimated Sh19.5 billion, or about five per cent of livestock output.
However, African Swine Fever, high feed costs and weaknesses in traceability and cold-chain infrastructure continue to affect the sector.
To manage cross-border risks, Kenya is implementing the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Protocol on Transhumance.
The framework guides the seasonal movement of pastoralists and livestock across borders in three clusters: Mandera, linking Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia; Karamoja, linking Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and South Sudan; and Mara-Serengeti, linking Kenya and Tanzania.
Other measures include vaccination campaigns against Peste des Petits Ruminants and Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, deworming, pest control and efforts to strengthen Foot-and-Mouth Disease control.
The government is also implementing the €47 million (about Sh7 billion) Pastoralism and Livestock Adaptation to Climate in Eastern Africa programme, funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the European Union, to strengthen livestock systems and support pastoralist livelihoods while helping contain animal diseases.
African Swine Fever is a highly contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs. It does not infect humans and is not considered a public health risk.
It is different from swine flu, which is caused by influenza viruses. ASF is caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV) and can cause extremely high mortality among infected pigs.
The disease has been reported in Kenya for more than a century, with historical records documenting outbreaks in the country in the early 1900s.
The virus can spread through contact with infected pigs, contaminated pork products, equipment, vehicles and people. It can also circulate in a natural cycle involving wild suids and soft ticks.
There is currently no widely available commercial vaccine or effective treatment for the ASF strains circulating in Kenya.
Control therefore relies on measures such as strict farm biosecurity, movement controls, surveillance, rapid response and the safe disposal of infected or dead animals.
The current outbreak has renewed concerns about the impact of ASF on Kenyan pig farmers and the wider livestock sector.