Moyale Residents Warned Against Feeding Donkeys Bhang For Increased Performance

Residents of Moyale have been advised not to feed their donkeys marijuana in an effort to improve their performance.

According to a donkey welfare organization in the area, some locals have turned to feed marijuana to their pack animals to make them work longer and harder.

During a vaccination campaign for the donkeys in the area, the donkey welfare team said the residents mix the bhang with donkey food.

“They mix the bhang with food and the donkey overworks without knowing it has consumed marijuana. We condemn this,” the welfare leader said. 

He also asserted that some donkeys in the area transport diesel, which is bad for their health because it can burn them.

“Some people are using the donkeys to transport diesel from Ethiopia. That’s cruelty to animals. Sadly, we only talk while doing nothing to ensure the welfare of the donkeys, he continued.

The welfare organization demanded stern punishment for anyone caught feeding marijuana to donkeys, saying they should face legal action for violating the rights of animals.

The donkey population in Kenya has declined significantly, and there have been concerns that the animal will become extinct if nothing is done.

Currently, there are estimated to be around 1.15 million donkeys in Kenya.

Police arrest man and woman ‘slaughtering more than 30 donkeys in Limuru’

Police in Kiambu County have arrested two suspects who were on Wednesday allegedly found slaughtering donkeys at Rwasumali Village in Ndeiya, Limuru Constituency.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), via its Twitter handle, identified the suspects as Patrick Muiruri, 29, and Elizabeth Wangeci, 32.

According to the DCI, the donkey meat ends up being sold in butchers’ shops in Nairobi and its neighbouring counties.

Two vehicles suspected to have been used in transporting the meat were also impounded.

At the scene, an open field in the Limuru village, several donkey bones were found strewn all over the place.

“After slaughtering the animals, the unscrupulous traders extract boneless meat from the animal’s carcass which is sold to meat lovers in the city, disguised as beef fillet and other boneless chops,” said the DCI on Twitter.

“No flesh is left to waste as the traders also package the donkey intestines, kidneys and other internal organs, which are sold to outlets dealing in popular roadside delicacy mutura, supu and matumbo,” added the DCI.

Police said they acted on a tip-off after receiving several complaints from the residents of Limuru that their donkeys had been stolen in high numbers.

In 2020, the Kenyan government had banned the slaughter and sale of donkey meat, citing increased cases of donkey theft in the country.

Until then, the slaughter of donkeys was legal after the trade was okayed by the government in 2012.

Official government statistics indicated that the donkey population had reduced from 1.8 million in 2009 to 1.17 million in 2019.

In May 2021, the High Court lifted the ban on donkey slaughtering, saying the State had failed to argue its case on why the ban should be upheld.

“The government has failed to sufficiently defend this case and this court quashes the Legal Notice 63 of 2020 as it violates the rights of Star Brilliant,” said Justice Richard Mwongo in his May 2021 ruling.

Donkey hides are largely exported to the Asian market, where it is used in the manufacture of Chinese medicine.

Kenya has four donkey abattoirs spread across four counties.