Residents of Kitui have strongly opposed the reopening of the Donkey abattoir at Kithyoko area in Machakos County, claiming that the slaughterhouse was established along the border targeting Kitui donkeys since the population of Donkeys in Machakos is very low.
The reopening of the abattoir comes few months after the ban on donkey slaughter was lifted by The High Court.
The residents of Kitui are now calling upon the county government of Kitui to come up with a way of ending Donkey slaughter and if possible come up with legislation to control donkey business.
Speaking at Nguutani market where donkey owners handed over a petition to the Kitui CECM for Agriculture in protest of donkey slaughter, Josfridah Temea a leader of local CBO consisting of Donkey owners said that theft and illegal slaughter of Donkeys was on the rise after the ban was lifted and now farmers are living in fear of their animals being stolen by criminals.
Temea said that the role plaid by the donkeys in Kitui families is irreplaceable and losing the beast of burden had despicable consequences to the owner.
She also added that it’s against the Kamba culture to consume donkey meat, hence residents weren’t happy when donkeys were being slaughtered in their vicinity.
Joseph Kioko who is the chair of Nguutani Donkey owners’ association called for the reintroduction of the ban on donkey slaughter, as this would reduce the risks posed by making a trade on donkeys’ meat legal.
Kitui CECM for Agriculture Emmanuel Kisangau who received the petition on behalf of Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu said that the county government of Kitui was aware that Kitui residents were against Donkey slaughter and that they in the process of coming up with legislation to regulate the donkey business and if possible ban slaughter of donkeys from the county.