Photo by Lydia Shiroya/KNA
Christmas festivities have greatly promoted inter-county business which have seen livestock farmers from Marsabit and Wajir counties selling their animals in Kiambu and her environs.
The livestock farmers from the beginning of the month of December identified strategic locations from where they placed their goats and sheep for sale to families in readiness for the Christmas festivities.
The display of the animals that have been marked with numbers for identification cannot go without being noted by motorists who have been compelled to stop opposite Kiambu police station to purchase the animals which they slaughter for their Christmas. The temporary market is open as early as 5.30a.m and by 6.00p.m, the sellers are only left with few animals that they take back with them.
Hassan Abdi told KNA from the temporary market for the animals Monday that a goat weighing 8kg went for 14,000 shillings and that the prices were however negotiable. He said for a sheep that weighed 5-7 kg, they sold it at 12,000 shillings
“Come and buy these animals for your families as it is cheaper than going to the butchery for meat that will not be enough for the families especially now that those who were away from home have come back,” he said while displaying the well fed animals.
KNA observed that some animals were being taken care of by 2 young boys who said they had been hired to sell them on behalf of some traders from Kiamaiko market in Nairobi County.
Kamau Nelson said he and his friend Mwangi John had been engaged to be selling the animals at a commission which they received on a daily basis. The animals are normally offloaded in Nairobi County’s Kiamaiko area and ferried in a lorry to the specific locations where motorists and even pedestrians purchase for their families and friends.
Kamau encouraged buyers who required slaughtering services that they would get it as the spur of the moment and they would carry home their meat without much trouble. For those who had ample compounds, he said they too could hire the services of the butcher who could accompany them to their homes so long as they had a sharp knife to do the job.
The young entrepreneur said one’s marketing skills dictated how much commission one got at the end of the day. When you are friendly and approachable to the people who stop here, you will always find some who are serious and end up buying them, he said.
The market has come as a relief to the residents of Kiambu most of who prefer mutton and lamb to beef as they do not worry to go deep into the villages looking for their preferred animals for slaughter.
Njogoge Phillip who operated a butchery in Kiambu town was of a different opinion saying not everyone wanted bulky meat.
“We still have our customers who buy few kilogrammes of meat and we cannot stop anyone to engage in business so long as they are permitted and are selling healthy animals,” he observed.
By Lydia Shiroya
