Minor dies after eating rabbit meat

By Antony Gitonga

One child died while three family members are fighting for their lives in hospital after they consumed rabbit meat in Kihoto estate, Naivasha.

Trouble started after the family consumed one of the rabbits for supper and developed stomachache.

A neighbour said she heard screams from the house at around 8pm and on enquiring found some of the children on the floor.

“We rushed three to a private hospital in Naivasha town while one boy died before he could reach the health facility,” said the neighbour.

The mother of the children who was found groaning and writhing in pain was also rushed to Polyclinic hospital.

Naivasha District Public Health Officer Samuel King’ori said initial investigation pointed to food poisoning.

He said his officers had established that the family reared over 20 rabbits, which developed a disease and started dying one after the other.

Uninspected meat

“The family decided to eat one of the rabbits unknowing that it was also sick and this left one boy dead and three family members in hospital,” he said. King’ori called on the public to desist from eating uninspected meat saying if contaminated it could lead to death.

He said that his officers had visited the home and taken samples as part of investigations.

Meanwhile, officers from the Department of Public Health, veterinary and the police continued with inspection of various food joints across the town to establish if they sell donkey meat.

The officers visited butcheries and hotels though no arrest was made.

King’ori said they were making some leads in the donkey meat trade and it’s was a matter of time before they made some arrests.

The exercise started after six donkeys were found slaughtered in Kayole area and their meat carted to unknown place.

Naivasha Security Committee, area MP John Mututho and heads of department held a meeting over the matter where they approved food inspection in all joints in Naivasha.