On 20 May 2020, a disturbing incident occurred in Mbiruni village, Maara constituency, Tharaka-Nithi County, where three middle-aged men were accused of slaughtering a dog and consuming its meat.
According to eyewitnesses, the three men were seen slaughtering the dog belonging to one of them, Michael Mwirigi, and dumping the skin, intestines, and paws in a nearby stream.
Mr. Benson Nyaga Kangori, a local resident, reported that he found the three men skinning the animal near his farm and when he shouted at them, they fled towards the stream where the skin and intestines were later found.
"I was informed of the three men slaughtering the animal in my farm by my daughter who was picking peas and when I went there, they left towards the stream," said Mr. Kangori.
Ms. Kagendo Njeru, a member of Nyumba Kumi, and Mr. Anderson Marangu, a village elder, visited Mwirigi and found some blood stains. Mwirigi told them that he called his friends who helped him kill the dog because it had been eating chicken belonging to villagers.
However, Mwirigi denied that he slaughtered and cooked the meat but said that he later heard that the dog was skinned and eaten by some unknown people.
Mr. James Mutegi, an area resident, contradicted Mwirigi's statement, saying that he confessed to eating the dog meat, arguing that it was his 'goat' that he had reared.
Locals have blamed illicit brew consumption and bhang smoking for the deteriorating behavior of youths.
