Nema denies issuing licence for donkey abattoir

The national environment authority has not licensed any donkey slaughterhouse to operate in Naivasha.

National Environmental Management Authority county director Wilfred Osumo said his office was not aware of any such application.

“We do not have anything like that in our records. We inspect all slaughterhouses’ designs before approval for construction and if the present ‘donkey’ slaughterhouse has a licence, it is not from us,” he said.

Mr Osumo said they only licence slaughterhouses dealing in poultry, sheep, goats, cows and pigs.

“No Nema office, anywhere in the country, has ever received such an application or processed such for a donkey slaughterhouse and no government officer can claim to have sanctioned such a venture without Nema’s involvement,” he said.

Last week, Naivasha entrepreneur John Kariuki took health officials around a Sh15 million abattoir at Maraigushu he said would be for slaughtering donkeys.

Mr Kariuki said he would partner with a Chinese investor, saying he had identified sellers for donkeys in Samburu, Baringo, Laikipia and Nakuru.

FOR EXPORT

He said the donkey meat products would be mainly for export to the Chinese market where it is in high demand. Mr Kariuki added that the abattoir would provide direct employment for about 30 people once it starts operations in the next two weeks.

Molo MP Jacob Macharia supported the venture, saying it would create job opportunities for Kenyans as well as “break new ground on donkey keeping for farmers”.

But Naivasha MP John Kihagi termed the venture as unacceptable and threatened to lead a protest against the slaughterhouse.