Donkey owners in Lamu are worried about the increase in dumpsites in the town as their animals may feed on dangerous waste.
More than 500 donkeys died in Lamu in 2013 and scores of others fell sick after eating poisonous substances in the dumpsites.
Donkeys are very important animals in Lamu Old Town which is listed as a Unesco World Heritage site because of the Swahili settlement with its narrow streets that have remain unchanged. On Lamu Island, automobiles are banned, donkeys and carts are the only mode of transport.
Donkey owners who spoke to the Star yesterday asked the county government to fence all the dumpsites and clean the town for their animals' safety.
Their spokesperson Maarufu Kidege said,"We don't want another tragedy to happen like in 2013. Our donkeys have been falling sick and they might start dying,” Kidege said.
The owners are keeping their donkeys at home so that they do not go to the dumpsites. The Lamu archipelago has more than 10,000 donkeys out of which 1,000 are found on the island.
