- Chicken meat has become the object of growing adoration, embraced by Kenyans from all walks of life.
- Most hotels and eateries in Nairobi, for example, have opted to deal in chicken meat only and potato chips as an accompaniment.
Image: COURTESY
In the bustling urban centres of the country, there has been a remarkable shift in the culinary preferences of the people.
Chicken meat has become the object of growing adoration, embraced by Kenyans from all walks of life.
This emerging passion for chicken has sparked a surge in demand, prompting chicken farmers to rally and increase their production to meet the people's cravings.
Driven by various factors which include nutritional value, and its affordability, Kenyans have developed a deep fondness for this flavourful protein.
This affection has seen chicken farmers across the country respond to the call by increasing the production of these broilers.
More Kenyans are venturing into this business by employing innovative techniques to raise more chickens and streamline the distribution process.
Most hotels and eateries in Nairobi, for example, have opted to deal in chicken meat only and potato chips as an accompaniment.
How these chickens are slaughtered and the way the meat is transported from the farm to the city has now attracted the attention of the government with Kenyans being put on high alert.
According to Director of Veterinary Services Obadiah Njagi, following a sharp increase in the sale of uninspected chicken meat in various food outlets within the City and other major towns, there was a need for Kenyans to be cautious.
The meat, Njagi noted, is mainly sourced from the broiler chicken farmers who slaughter at their premises and distribute at hotels and other eateries contrary to the law.
“This is contrary to Meat Control Act Cap 356 of laws of Kenya which states that food animals should only be slaughtered in licensed slaughterhouses under the supervision of an inspecting officer,” the circular reads.
It has been addressed to all county directors of veterinary services and copied to the Director General of Health and Livestock Development principal secretary.
“In addition, meat should only be transported in licenced meat containers accompanied with the requisite meat transport documents indicating the source slaughterhouse of the meat and the destination among other important details,” it adds.
This, Njagi said, exposes Kenyans to unhygienic meat and meat products which act as the source of the spread of harmful drug residues and other contaminants thereby endangering their health.
To stem this, he has called for heightened surveillance and close cooperation with other stakeholders.
“You should also work in close cooperation with other stakeholders in food safety including the law enforcement agencies to ensure perpetrators of these illegal activities are dealt with according to the law,” Njagi said.