In Ensakia village of Nyamira County, where dairy farming serves as both a livelihood and a lifeline, Dennis Rosana now walks through his unnaturally silent cowshed.
Just days earlier, the farmer possessed 23 healthy cows. Now, nine have perishedsuspected victims of intentional poisoning.
The incident unfolded on Sunday morning while Rosana was attending Palm Sunday mass. Halfway through the service, he received a call informing him of trouble at home. Upon his hurried return, five of his dairy cows had already died.
“I discovered their carcasses lying there,” he remembers, the shock still evident in his voice.
The ordeal continued. On Monday night, four additional cows collapsed and succumbed, bringing his total losses to nine animalspredominantly Ayrshire and Friesian breedseach worth between Sh120,000 and Sh150,000.
Collectively, the financial loss surpasses Sh1.2 million.
Rosana, who previously served as a civic leader at the now-defunct Nyansiongo Town Council and currently chairs the Borabu National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), believes the animals’ feed might have been contaminated on Saturday night.
Veterinarian Onchiri Ratemo, who examined the animals, reported that initial findings indicate the cows ingested a toxic substance resulting in significant blood clotting.
“We’ve collected samples for laboratory analysis to identify precisely what the cows consumed,” he stated, mentioning that in his 19 years of professional experience, he had never witnessed a similar case.
Several cows survived and are receiving medical attention, providing Rosana with a fragile glimmer of hope amid the widespread devastation.
Beyond his individual losses, the repercussions are already resonating throughout the community.
Numerous households that relied on milk from his farm have been abruptly deprived of this resource.
Local residents have condemned the incident, demanding comprehensive investigations to determine who is responsible for what they characterize as a malicious and premeditated act.
The deceased animals have been disposed of following established public health protocols.
Nevertheless, for Rosana, the emotional burden weighs just as heavily as the financial one.
Nonetheless, he has chosen forgiveness. “This is not merely my lossit affects the entire community,” he states. “As a Christian, I pray that whoever committed this act receives forgiveness.”