Police Recover 11 Sacks of Donkey Meat After Car Accident in Limuru

At least 11 sacks of donkey meat were recovered from a car that had been involved in an accident in Limuru area, Kiambu County.

Officials estimated up to 15 donkeys were slaughtered in the incident. It is however not clear if the slaughter was sanctioned and inspected.

Traffic police officers who were on routine duties along Nairobi -Mai Mahiu Road said they came across a Toyota Probox that had lost control after a tire burst near the Mutarakwa area.

The car had rolled into a ditch and the driver was trapped inside with injuries in the Wednesday morning incident.

The team checked the car and found it to be ferrying 11 sacks of donkey meat.

Read: High Court Legalizes Slaughter, Sale of Donkey Meat

Police said the driver was rushed to Tigoni Hospital for treatment while car was towed to the station pending inspection.

Health officials were called to inspect the meat for possible disposal.

A probe into the incident is ongoing. This is the latest seizure of donkey meat in the area in a series of such incidents.

The incidents are reported in Limuru and Naivasha where donkey population is higher.

Donkey meat is not illegal in Kenya. However many handlers don’t go through health inspection and this leads to stealing and slaughtering of the animals among other crimes.

Read Also: Angry Nakuru Residents Burn Vehicle Transporting Donkey Meat

Kenya’s population of donkeys is under threat after the High Court lifted a 2020 ban on donkey slaughterhouses, allowing them to resume selling the meat and hides to Asian markets.

The high price for donkey hides for use in Chinese medicine has led to donkey poaching and sparked fears the animals could eventually go extinct.

In March 2021, the High Court lifted a ban on the slaughter of donkeys for both meat and hide for medicine in the Asian market.

Donkey slaughter was legalized in Kenya in 2012, leading to a rapid decimation of the animal population and cross-border theft .

The trade-in donkey meat and hide was legalized in Kenya in 2012.