Donkey Slaughter Ends in Kenya After Peta’s Ejiao Investigation

Kenya has prohibited the killing of donkeys and their consequent export to China where their boiled-down skin is used in medicine, cosmetics and candy.

The ban followed a PETA investigation of government-sanctioned abattoirs in Mogotio and Naivasha. The investigation revealed that workers violently beat the donkeys who were then killed for a traditional Chinese medicine known as ejiao.

Read: A kick in the teeth for donkey owners

Ministry of Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya has ordered that all donkey abattoirs in Kenya be shut down by next month.

Donkey Skin Trade

PETA’s investigative footage.

The move comes after more than 200,000 PETA supporters sent letters urging Munya to end the donkey-skin trade. The revelations show that donkeys are packed onto trucks and forced to endure gruelling journeys to abattoirs from as far away as neighbouring countries.

The trip from the border with Ethiopia can take two days, during which the animals are not given any water or food. Many collapse while others die after the gruelling journeys.

donkey Skins Update - launch photo www.businesstoday.co.ke
A worker carries one of the many donkey skins at a slaughterhouse in Kenya. [ Photo / The Donkey Sanctuary ]

PETA’s investigation found that workers left the bodies of two donkeys who had died during the long journey outside the abattoir and dragged another one – who was so injured that she was unable to stand – from the truck, dumped her on the ground, and kicked her.

“By shutting down these abattoirs, the country has cut ties with a cruel trade that sentences gentle donkeys to miserable deaths by the millions,” says PETA Senior Vice President of International Campaigns Jason Baker.

“No one needs donkey skin except the animals who were born in it, and PETA hopes other countries take a stand against the ejiao industry and follow suit.”

Pakistan and numerous African countries – including Botswana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda – have banned Chinese-funded abattoirs or implemented policies to stop the export of donkey skins to China.

Also see: Burning Bridges Initiative: Uhuru, Raila Handshake Threatening Kenya’s Existence

Gelatine in Donkey Hides

In addition, eBay and dozens of other companies have agreed to stop selling items containing ejiao.

The Donkey Sanctuary, an international animal welfare charity, in its latest report into the trade reveals that donkey populations have crashed in a number of countries as increasing demand for ejiao has led to an unsustainable number of donkeys being slaughtered.

Gelatine in donkey hides is a key ingredient in ejiao and The Donkey Sanctuary has been calling for an urgent halt to the largely unregulated global trade in donkey skins before the beasts of burden are wiped out in some areas.

Oct 2012. Jasmine (white top, blue skirt) loads her donkey at the water point. Water point at Nuu, a village near Mwingi in NE Kenya. A donkey will carry 100 Kilo of water, a woman can only manage 25 kilos so life without a donkey can become intolerable.

China needs around 4.8 million hides per-year for ejiao production which makes it hard to meet the demand. Due to this, traders, mainly in Africa, Asia and South America, are exporting additional skins to China.

In Kenya and Ghana, where the skin trade is booming, donkeys are also being exploited with fears that their numbers could dwindle in the near future.

Government officials in Kenya have expressed serious concerns for their national herd with a slaughter rate of nearly 380,000 annually putting relentless pressure on donkey populations.

“The donkey hide trade will lead to an extinction of the species,” Raphael Ngome of the Kenya Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals warns.

“Kenya faces a future without donkeys,” he adds.

With the halting of the slaughter, Kenya’s donkey populations could once again thrive but there is a risk of the trade evolving into a black market which could be a challenge to restoring the donkey number.

Read >> Billion-Shilling Trade Opportunities Between Kenya and Somalia

Latest

Navigating Forex Markets: The Top 10 Forex Brokers of 2023

Selecting the right broker from the top 10 forex brokers of 2023 can significantly impact your trading success.

Whipped and Stripped! A Survivor’s Tale of Harrowing Brutality in a Mental Hospital

The lack of a long-term vision and inadequate resourcing of mental hospital infrastructures continues to take a toll on Kenya’s mentally ill patients.

Dubai Agency Picks Top Influencer Marketers to Lead Kenyan Operation

This strategic move is in line with indaHash vision to cement its presence in Africa, following its impactful footprint in South Africa since 2017 and successful collaborations with clients like the South African Tourism Board.

SportPesa to reward Customers in Cash-Filled Festive Promotion

Running from December 4th to 25th, the SportPesa campaign promises daily excitement with six lucky winners expected to walk away with Ksh5,000 daily.

Follow Us

Newsletter

Don't miss

Tusker Oktobafest Rolls East African Cultures into One

From regional events across Kenya to inaugural gatherings in Uganda and Tanzania, and the Tusker Oktobafest grand finale in Nairobi, the festival harmonized traditions, celebrated diversity, and highlighted the rich cultural tapestry of the East African culture

Lupita’s Little Brother Junior Nyong’o Charting His Own Path in Acting

Junior Nyongó, who is also a musician and a DJ and now a graduate of UC San Diego with an MFA in Acting, is crafting his own solid path in the world of acting with roles in major theatre productions.

Safaricom To Power Tusker OktobaFest Beer Festival

Safaricom’s involvement in OktobaFest as a technology and payments partner will focus on fostering seamless in-festival connectivity, empowering the youth and Gen Z community through Safaricom Hook, and powering digital payments through M-PESA.

Music Producers Launch Organization To Streamline Recording Industry

Recording Industry of Kenya (RIKE) was launched on 9th October 2023. Registered in 2022 as a not-for-profit organization, RIKE aims to promote the collective interests of producers of sound recordings in the country.

Nairobi’s Hero Bar Listed Among World’s 50 Best Bars

World Best Bars: Hero Bar in Nairobi continues to climb the list, moving up six places to No.62 and Johannesburg’s Sin + Tax comes in at No.94. Dubai new entry Ergo is at No.69 and Melbourne’s Byrdi has re-entered the list at No.61.

Kenyan DJs Face Off In Smirnoff Battle Of The Beats Season 3

The Smirnoff Battle of the Beats Season 3, a DJ competition, is poised to unleash an unprecedented musical frenzy countrywide.

The Highs And Lows Of Betty Kyallo, Sisters Show As Season 2 Ends

Kyallo Kulture has always been, above all, about sisterhood, and in Season 2 we have witnessed the charm of it - the ups that gave us wholesome moments as the sisters led by Betty Kyallo spent time together.

DStv Beats CNN, BBC To Become Most Admired Media Outlet In Africa

DStv, MultiChoice Group’s leading broadcast service, has been named...

MultiChoice Revises Subscription Fees For DStv, GOtv

MultiChoice has announced price adjustments on some of their...

Octopizzo: How I Make My Money

"I've been doing this for 12, 13 years. It reaches a point where you no longer need to prove that you can make a hit record," he stated.
BT Reporter
BT Reporterhttp://www.businesstoday.co.ke
editor [at] businesstoday.co.ke

Navigating Forex Markets: The Top 10 Forex Brokers of 2023

Selecting the right broker from the top 10 forex brokers of 2023 can significantly impact your trading success.

Whipped and Stripped! A Survivor’s Tale of Harrowing Brutality in a Mental Hospital

The lack of a long-term vision and inadequate resourcing of mental hospital infrastructures continues to take a toll on Kenya’s mentally ill patients.

Dubai Agency Picks Top Influencer Marketers to Lead Kenyan Operation

This strategic move is in line with indaHash vision to cement its presence in Africa, following its impactful footprint in South Africa since 2017 and successful collaborations with clients like the South African Tourism Board.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here