Donkies. [Photo/madam.co.ke]
Residents of Kisaju, Kajiado County have protested plans by a Chinese Company to establish a donkey abattoir in the area as donkey meat consumption was a taboo among Maasai community.
The residents claimed that the Chinese Company which acquired three acres along the Isinya/ Kiserian road had not specified what they intended to use the land for.
Area Chief, Samuel Marandu said they learned about the plans to establish a donkey abattoir in the area on Wednesday when the company called for a stake holder’s consultative forum at the site.
“We were all invited to the site by the company on December 6 and we were shocked to learn that the company has been licensed by the county government to operate a donkey slaughterhouse,” said Marandu.
The chief showed journalists a letter inviting the residents to participate in the stakeholders’ forum for a social impact assessment
which stated the company is poised to slaughter between 80 to 100 donkeys in the first year of operation.
Area MCA, Joshua Oluwasa, said the company was given a license to establish the abattoir by the former county government without involving the residents and he has already brought a motion in the assembly seeking to revoke the license.
Oluwasa said they would not allow the abattoir to be built in the area as eating donkey meat is a taboo in the Maasai community.
“We reject in totality the establishment of a donkey slaughterhouse in this locality as it is a taboo in the Maasai community. They are free to slaughter goats, pigs, camels, and cows but not donkeys. We will not allow it,” said Oluwasa.
He said allowing the company to also operate in the county will lead to theft of donkeys which are mainly used for carrying water by residents.