This archive report was first published on 1 December 2019.
Kenya has become a hot spot for the smuggling of donkeys, with the country's donkey population dwindling due to high demand for donkey skins in China. According to a regional meeting attended by over 15 countries, Kenya is the largest exporter of donkey products, with Nigeria discussing a Bill to ban the slaughter of the animal and related export trade.
Donkeys are being smuggled into Kenya from neighboring countries such as Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania to meet China's demand of 4.8 million donkey skins annually for the manufacture of ejiao, a Chinese traditional medicine. The global donkey population is under pressure from high demand, with countries such as Botswana, Ethiopia, Mali, Senegal, Niger, South Sudan, Somalia, and Uganda banning trade in donkey products.
According to the Donkey Sanctuary, an international animal welfare and rescue charity, the high demand for donkey skins coupled with the reducing herd of donkeys in China has led to a rise in export markets around the world to keep the ejiao industry running. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) has identified the lack of a traceability system in the region as a major challenge in fighting cross-border donkey smuggling.
Kenya's Anti-Rustling Programme CEO James Kendagor has stated that the government did not involve the public when they legalized donkeys for export, and that the statistics are clear, with several instances of smuggled donkeys being intercepted in Baringo, Tana River, and Garrisa counties. The Livestock Boarding School initiative, targeting livestock in arid areas of Tiaty, aims to start breeding donkeys in 2022.
Statistics show that the four abattoirs in the country slaughter almost 1,200 donkeys a day against the licensed capacity of 900. Between 2016 and 2018, 16,544 tonnes of donkey meat and skin products were exported.
