The Ugandan government has banned the purchase and slaughter of donkeys — overwhelmingly for the Chinese market — due to the dwindling numbers of the animals.
China uses donkey-hide gelatin for traditional medicine to improve women’s complexion. They don’t want the meat.
Donkeys, vital to agriculture and the rural economy, are being decimated throughout Africa.
Following Uganda’s move, veterinarians in Kenya through the Africa Veterinary Technical Association praised the ban and urged Kenya to follow suit
In a notice, Uganda’s ministry of Agriculture and Animal Industry noted with concern the rising demand for donkey products in the Far East.
This hurts poor families, who depend on donkeys to ferry water, farm produce and firewood.
In the notice, the ministry banned the sale and purchase of donkeys for slaughter across the country.
All donkey slaughterhouses were ordered closed.
According to AVTA chairman Benson Ameda, the move is long overdue.
He said studies show the number of donkeys in Kenya has been declining.
Yesterday, Ameda said told reporters there is no parity between the numbers of donkeys slaughtered per day to those being born.
“We salute the Ugandan government for this noble move to ban the donkey trade and Kenya should follow suit,” he said.
Ameda said thousands of families rely on donkeys for farm work.
“Since the two donkey slaughterhouses were opened, we have seen a drop in the number of donkeys across the country and this could get worse in the coming days,” he said.
One abattoir is in Naivasha, Nakuru county and the other in Mogotio, Baringo county.
Kenya Veterinary Association national chairman Samuel Kahariri said donkey trade is not sustainable.
He said there should to be a breeding plan.
Kahariri said the Kenya trade is characterised by exploitative costs, lucrative skin business for traders and the declining donkey populations.
He called for a total ban on trade, saying it hurts both humans and donkeys.