Dr. Raphael Kinoti- Managing Director, Brooke East Africa
Brooke East Africa have urged Kenyans to exercise heightened caution when purchasing meat this Christmas season amid growing reports of illegal slaughter and the sale of uninspected meat, particularly donkey meat disguised as beef.
Dr. Raphael Kinoti, the Regional Director of Brooke East Africa, says authorities have intercepted several consignments of donkey meat being illegally transported into Nairobi from the city’s outskirts.
According to Kinoti, the meat is slaughtered in unlicensed locations and sold to consumers while falsely presented as beef.
“December is what we call the meat month,” Kinoti said, noting that meat consumption during the festive period nearly equals what Kenyans consume between January and November combined. “This surge in demand has created an opportunity for unscrupulous traders to introduce illegal and unsafe meat into the market.”
He warned that consuming uninspected meat poses serious public health risks. Donkeys, like other animals, can carry zoonotic diseases, those transmissible from animals to humans. Kinoti, a veterinarian, said donkeys are known to carry up to 16 zoonotic diseases, including anthrax, which can be fatal if transmitted to humans.
“If a donkey infected with anthrax finds its way into slaughterhouses or butcheries in Nairobi, we could be facing a public health disaster,” he cautioned. He urged consumers to buy meat only from approved and inspected sources, verify its quality, and avoid suspiciously cheap or untraceable products.
Brooke East Africa has also raised alarm over reports that some previously closed donkey slaughterhouses are resuming operations illegally. Kinoti cited a recent police raid at a slaughterhouse in Turkana County where tonnes of donkey meat destined for markets across the country were seized. In another incident, two Chinese foreign nationals were arrested in connection with illegal donkey skins and meat trade.
Beyond food safety, Kinoti stressed that the illegal slaughter of donkeys threatens livelihoods and economic resilience, particularly among low-income households.
“Donkeys play a vital role in both rural and urban economies, providing transport for water, firewood and construction materials.” he stated
Surveys conducted by Brooke East Africa indicate that more than 40,000 young people in Kenyan towns depend on donkeys for income, with each earning an average of Sh12,000 per month. In urban areas such as Kasarani and Ruai, a pair of donkeys can generate up to Sh2,000 per day for their owners.
“In many towns, donkeys employ more people than some of our largest corporations,” Kinoti said, describing the animals as an invisible but critical pillar of the informal economy.
In rural and arid regions, donkeys are essential for community survival, especially during droughts. In drought-prone counties across northern Kenya, donkeys are often the primary means of transporting water, food and even children as families migrate in search of resources.
At the continental level, Kinoti welcomed recent policy actions aimed at protecting donkeys. Last year, African Union heads of state agreed to ban the donkey skin trade, citing sharp declines in donkey populations and the animal’s importance to livelihoods.
More recently, the East African Legislative Assembly passed a motion urging member states to introduce measures to curb the donkey skin trade and safeguard the species.
As the festive season peaks, Brooke East Africa is calling on consumers, traders and law enforcement agencies to work together to ensure meat safety and protect donkeys from exploitation.
“Buying safe, inspected meat is not just about protecting your health,” Kinoti said. “It is also about protecting a critical animal that supports thousands of Kenyan families and strengthens community resilience.”
The organisation has appealed to the public to remain vigilant this Christmas and report suspected cases of illegal slaughter to authorities, as Kenya balances festive celebrations with public health and animal welfare concerns.