- 2009 Census shows Kenya has 1.8 million donkeys. In 1992 the number was estimated at two million. Some estimates place the current number at 800,000 donkeys.
- It is estimated as many as 378,000 donkeys are slaughtered in Kenya putting pressure on populations. Workers say closure costs them jobs, livelihoods.
Image: COURTESY
The ban on donkey slaughterhouses has divided the country — between those who will lose their jobs and just about everyone else.
On February 24, Agriculture CS Peter Munya shut down all four donkey slaughterhouses in the country to save donkeys from extinction.
He gave them one month's notice and revoked their licences.
Donkey hides are exported to China for skin whitening cream and medicine, and the meat is increasingly popular.
Today, Goldox Kenya Ltd in Baringo county, Star Brilliant Donkey Abattoir in Nakuru county, Silzha Ltd in Turkana county and Fuhai Machakos Trading Co. Ltd in Kithyoko, Machakos county, remain shut.
While much of the public and those concerned with the welfare of the donkey have supported the move, those who worked the abattoirs and provided donkeys for slaughter opposed the ban.
Already, Africa Network for Animal has urged Munya to remove the donkey from Meat Act of 1999.
"That was a verbal decision by the CS. We need the Meat Act of 1999 amended to declare commercial trade on donkey meat illegal," Kahindi Lekalhaile, chief operations director at Africa Network for Animals, said.
The Meat Act of 1999 classified donkey as a food animal.
The donkey was gazetted as a food animal in 1999 with the aim of curbing backyard slaughter and improving food hygiene.
As many as 378,000 donkeys are annually slaughtered in Kenya for abattoirs, putting pressure on populations.
Lekalhaile blamed the Act for opening the floodgates for donkey smuggling and theft that risk wiping them out.
Munya said the closure order was necessitated by a dramatic decline in the number of donkeys caused by rampant theft.
The 2009 Census placed the number of donkeys at 1.8 million.
Lekalhaile urged slaughterhouses to convert their equipment and premises to slaughter other allowable livestock such as cattle, sheep, goats and even chickens to turn around their fortunes.
Lekalhaile said only three communities that been eating donkey meat for many years should be the only ones eating donkey meat.
"The Animal cruelty Act must also be enforced," he said, adding that donkeys have undergone suffering in some slaughterhouses.
Lekalhaile said donkey theft needs to be declared an economic crime since many rural communities depend on them.
He called them a means of "green transport".
"The extension officers must be increased to promote the donkey,
especially in the rural areas," Lekalhaile said.
Lekalhaile urged slaughterhouses to convert their equipment and premises to slaughter other allowable livestock such as cattle, sheep, goats and even chickens to turn around their fortunes.
However, many have protested Munya’s move.
Naivasha MP Jane Kihara said the move to close Kenya's four donkey slaughterhouses will hurt the economy and hundreds of families.
The legislator said on Monday last week that there was no consultation before the government issued the one-month closure notice.
Kihara said she will raise the closure in the National Assembly.
The price of a donkey is between Sh15,000 and Sh20,000.
The cost of donkey skin has also increased, largely driven by the production of ejiao, a traditional Chinese medicine made from donkey hide. It is also used as a cosmetic for skin whitening.
It is estimated the ejiao industry currently requires about 4.8 million donkey skins annually.
With China’s own donkeys declining from 11 million in 1992 to just 2.6 million currently, the ejiao industry has had to source donkey skins from around the world.
Donkey-dependent communities in Machakos and Kitui have also urged the DCI to investigate smuggling cartels responsible for the theft of their animals.
The donkey owners said they have lost more than 300,000 donkeys since 2016 when donkey slaughterhouses were opened in the country.
In Baringo, more than 300 workers have protested the move.
The workers at the Goldox donkey slaughterhouse in Chemogoch, Mogotio, carried placards bearing the words, "No jobs, no life" and "no job, no strong family’." They marched to Baringo Governor Stanley Kiptis offices in Kabarnet town on Thursday.
“Godox is everything we have. It is the only place in Kenya that gave us employment and upon closure, we don’t have anywhere else to go,” team leader Job Onyango said.
Kiptis was not in his office so they presented their pleas to the media.
Onyango said the factory is the only place that pays them monthly salaries to meet their daily family needs, pay school fees, buy food and clothing.
“Our donkey slaughterhouse is fully licensed by the Kenyan government to operate, so what prompted the closure notice?” Onyango asked.
Two companies and a businessman are suing the government to lift the ban.
Davis Njuguna Kamau and the two companies, Star Brilliant Limited and Silzha Limited, want the court to temporarily halt the ban until their case is heard.
They sued the Agriculture CS and the Attorney General.
(Edited by V. Graham)