The increase in cross-border movement of donkeys into Kenya is contributing significantly to donkey slaughter and the illegal skin trade in the country.
At the same time, the illegal slaughter of donkeys has negatively affected communities that traditionally rely on them as a source of livelihood.
Speaking during the Media Stakeholders and Consultative Workshop on Donkey Welfare in Kajiado on Thursday, Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW) Acting Executive Director, Josiah Ojwang, said the government should employ all available methods to curb the illegal trade.
The workshop, attended by local journalists from various media houses, aimed to enhance media involvement in promoting donkey welfare, improving community livelihoods, and addressing issues related to bush slaughter and the cross-border movement of donkeys.
Ojwang noted that while donkeys have traditionally moved across borders, the purpose of the project is to investigate the extent to which increased cross-border movement into Kenya is driven by donkey slaughter and the skin trade.
"We are here to create awareness among the media fraternity about existing legal gaps that enable the cross-border movement and trade of donkeys in Kenya. We also aim to highlight the important role the media can play in holistically addressing donkey welfare concerns by disseminating effective and informed messages to the public," said Ojwang.
"We are also trying to inform the Maasai community about current donkey welfare issues, and to improve the overall health and well-being of donkeys," he added.
He explained that donkey theft and smuggling are common in Kajiado County, which borders Tanzania to the south. There has been an increase in incidents of bush slaughter and the harvesting of donkey skins.
According to Ojwang, ANAW is creating awareness around donkey welfare amidst rising cases of the animals being slaughtered for meat, which is often sold to unsuspecting consumers.
The director revealed that the East African region, particularly Kenya and Tanzania, has experienced serious negative impacts from the donkey skin trade.
"In Kenya, for example, the donkey population has declined substantially-from 1.8 million in 2009 (Kenya National Population and Housing Census, 2009) to approximately 600,000 in 2019."
"Although the government has banned the slaughter of donkeys in the country, the continued increase in such cases is having a devastating effect on communities that have traditionally relied on donkeys for their livelihoods," he said.
He reiterated that the project seeks to determine the extent to which the growing cross-border movement of donkeys into Kenya is connected to the slaughter and skin trade.
The Kenya Meat Control Act of 1999, which listed donkeys among meat-producing animals, gave abattoir owners legal leeway to operate-a provision they have allegedly exploited, with potentially severe consequences for donkey populations and the livelihoods of dependent communities.
"With such high slaughter capacity, there is real concern that it is only a matter of time before Kenya's donkey population drops even further. Already, communities are grappling with increasing incidents of donkey theft and the high cost of replacing stolen animals. This is one of the key focus areas for this project," Ojwang concluded.
