Water vendors discover ‘donkey slaughterhouse’ in Naivasha

By Antony Gitonga

NAIVASHA, KENYA: Water vendors in Naivasha have discovered what they believe is the ‘donkey slaughterhouse’ in the lakeside town.

Over twenty carcasses of donkey were found dumped on the land along the Naivasha-Mai Mahiu road by donkey owners.

The owners were searching for three of their missing animals when they stumbled on the field of death in Mirera estate.

On the field tens of carcasses some fresh and others rotting were strewn all over the vast land owned by a Naivasha farmer.

A nauseating smell and mongrels seeking fresh from the carcasses was the order of the day on the land located a few meters from the road.

There were fears that more animals could have been slaughtered in the area with neighbors narrating of funny movement at night.

According to the land owner Mwangi Kagutha, over 15 donkeys had been slaughtered on the undeveloped piece of land in the last two months.

The dairy farmer expressed his concern over the carcasses that were littered all over saying they were health hazard to his livestock.

"My livestock feed on this ground and am worried by the ongoing illegal activity where diseases could be spread here," he said.

Kahutha said that he had reported the matter to the area chief and the nearby anti-stock theft unit after realizing that the exercise was on the increase.

"The exercise is carried out at night and we blame the water vendors for failing to secure their animals after work leading to this problem," he said.

A worker in a nearby farm farm termed the vice as an ongoing trade where at least five donkeys were getting slaughtered per week.

"We are asking the necessary government agencies to take action against those behind this illegal trade which is on the increase," he said.

Speaking on phone, Nakuru County director of public health Samuel King'ori said that they would disinfect the farm in question.

"Our officers will move to the affected farm and put in the required measures as we seek those behind this trade,"he said.