BY ANGELA R. KIURA
Hundreds of livestock and poultry farmers who flocked to the popular Ishiara Market for the much-publicized Leo wa Mūthende Goat Auction on Saturday are counting huge losses after heavy rains disrupted trading and prices plummeted sharply.
Many farmers were forced to sell their animals at throwaway prices or return home empty-handed, blaming poor planning and lack of shelter for the chaos that followed the afternoon downpour.
“I am very discouraged since I sold nothing. I had brought sugarcane, rabbits, and chickens. We had been told a chicken would fetch Sh2,000, but I ended up selling mine at Sh800 after it was rained on,” said Onorata Igoki, a farmer from Kanyuambora. She added that she only sold at a loss to recover transport fare.
Another trader, Ken Kago, said he had brought 43 goats, 20 rabbits, and 40 chickens but had not sold a single item by the time of publishing.
Some traders said they had bought livestock from nearby villages to resell at the auction, hoping to profit from the widely advertised event—only to incur losses instead. “We invested money buying goats in advance expecting high prices, but it was all in vain,” one trader lamented.
Farmers also blamed the organizers for failing to provide shelter for animals and traders, saying the lack of structures led to deaths and distress among livestock.
The auction, organized by Mbeere North MP aspirant Leonard Muriuki, alias Leo Wamuthende (UDA candidate), was attended by several leaders including Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku and Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire.
The event was billed as an initiative to empower rural farmers by creating better markets and fair pricing for local produce—while also drumming up support for the UDA candidate in the upcoming by-election.
On his Facebook page, Wamuthende later praised the auction as a success, saying it “showcased the strength and spirit of our local economy.”
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He commended the turnout and promised continued support for grassroots enterprises.
However, residents flooded his page with complaints, accusing organizers of deception and poor planning.
“People have returned home with their animals, and you come here with praises that don’t exist,” wrote Ceasar Gitonga.
Another user, Rachael Nyange, posted: “You told people to bring their livestock to sell, but now they are stranded in Ishiara with dead pigs and chickens.”
A few supporters, however, defended the event, calling it a “good initiative that only needs better planning.”
By nightfall, mud-soaked and weary farmers were seen trudging home with their unsold animals, their hopes for fair prices and relief washed away by the rains—and unfulfilled promises.
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