By ROBERT KIPLAGAT
Baringo county: President Uhuru Kenyatta and retired President Daniel Moi are expected to grace the re-launching of the Kimalel Goat Auction and Festival in Baringo later this month. Kimalel Goat auction was popular during the 1980s before its decline as former president Moi’s era came to an end.
Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi during the Jamhuri Day celebrations asked the locals to turn up in large numbers and bring more goats to the auction.
“We expect it to be a boom as we have invited President Uhuru and he has promised to find time to attend the event. I, therefore, urge the farmers to bring more goats to make the event a success,” said Mr Cheboi.
He said apart from the goat auction, communities in the county would showcase their cultures during the festival. Sports such as athletics, boat riding at Lake Baringo, artefacts exhibition will also feature during the event.
The county, targets over 3,000 goats at the auction after it was passed that each of the 30 County Wards to produce 100 goats to be sold at the show. He said the county has immense livestock potential with over 2 million goats and over a million livestock that can be exported and urged investors to focus on the county’s livestock sector.
Cheboi said the Kimalel goat auction is an appreciation of Moi’s leadership and role in development as Kenya celebrates 50 years since independence.
Baringo County Assembly Speaker William Kamket, also invited nyama choma lovers to turn up in large numbers as the ‘naturally salted’ Baringo goat meat will be there in plenty.
“Kimalel goat auction is an avenue to create wealth in terms of creating ready goat market for goat farmers as well as to Market County’s tourism potential to tourists across the County,” said Kamket.
The County also intends to position itself as a tourism and mining destination.
With the oil search by Tullow Oil in Kerio Valley going on in earnest and the presence of minerals and geothermal potential, the upcoming trade and cultural extravaganza is billed as the staging ground for revelation of the huge economic potential in the county.
There is the highest concentration of elephants in the Kapnorak/Rimoi National Reserve in the county and the flamingos and hot springs of Lake Bogoria and the hippos of Lake Baringo are a great tourism attraction.
Transnational Bank is among the corporates that will exhibit their products at the fair.
