When Mr. Zablon Obiri resigned from his teaching role at Kapenguria Boys High School to run for the Kwanza parliamentary seat in 2017, he never imagined he would become a full-time farmer.
After clearing with the Teachers Service Commission, the educator, born and raised at Goseta farm, secured a Jubilee Party ticket and hit the campaign trail.
Although the outcome of the election was not in his favour, Mr. Obiri learned from the experience and focused on his next venture, deciding not to return to teaching.
"I decided to go straight into farming because I had bought land at Simatwet Gutongoria farm in Sirende ward," Mr. Obiri shared from his farm.
The farm has sections featuring a Blue gum tree farm, a maize farm, a Dorper sheep unit, and a dairy farm unit.
He explained that planting 13 acres of Blue gums has been very profitable, along with producing around 70 liters of milk per day.
The sale of sheep has also been profitable, with an adult Doper fetching approximately Sh 15,000 in the local market.
"What I earn from the dairy unit is equivalent to what I used to earn as a teacher. All I have to do is ensure optimal management," he said.
However, Mr. Obiri expressed disappointment with maize farming, saying the venture is no longer profitable, citing unfavorable cost implications and a difficult market climate.
"Maize farming has become an enterprise that is not profitable since the cost of production is too high, yet the market price for maize is low," he said.
The farmer has also set his sights on planting three acres of coffee and has allocated three acres for growing sunflowers to feed his dairy animals.
"I have decided to venture into coffee farming, and as such, I have set aside three acres in preparation for planting the seedlings," he said.
He accused the government of playing politics with the agriculture sector by making populist statements that are not true.
"The government keeps making promises about lowering the cost of production for farmers, but the reality is quite different, which demoralizes farmers," he said.
Looking ahead, Mr. Obiri, who has not let go of his political ambitions, says he is widely consulting to decide on the steps he could take toward the 2027 general election.
"I am currently part of the strong supporters of Governor George Natembeya, and I have decided to wait for his direction to determine my next political step," he said.