This archive report was first published on 25 July 2019.
According to a report by Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW), Kenya's donkey population is under threat of extinction due to the increasing demand for donkey meat and skin.
The report, compiled by Josiah Ojwang, Dennis Bahati, Sebastian Mwanza, and Bernard Atsiaya, highlights the classification of donkeys and horses as food animals seven years ago as the primary cause of the problem.
This led to the establishment of more slaughterhouses, including Goldox Kenya Limited in Mogotio, Baringo County, Star Brilliant Abattoir at Maraigushu in Naivasha, Silzha Ltd at Nakwaalele in Turkana, and Fuhai Machakos Trading Company Ltd.
Animal welfare lobbies have urged the government to withdraw the abattoirs' licences until measures are put in place to guarantee the welfare of the animals.
Brooke East Africa, in collaboration with Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation, the Network of Donkey Owners (Nado), and the Alliance of Donkey Welfare Organisations in Kenya, have also called for a ban on the export of donkey skin and a crackdown on cross-border smuggling of donkeys.
As of 2016-2018, it is estimated that 600,000 pieces of donkey skin and 400 tonnes of donkey meat were exported to Vietnam and China.
