KENYA – Law enforcement authorities have during a daring midnight raid in Kiambu County’s Kiahiti village, unearthed a macabre operation that has left the region both stunned and appalled.
Freshly slaughtered donkey carcasses, poised to enter the unsuspecting food chain, were discovered sprawled across the ground in what can only be described as a chilling scene.
The vigilant officers, stationed at the Nachu police post, had received intelligence that hinted at an imminent sinister activity.
Racing against time, they arrived at the site just as unscrupulous meat vendors orchestrated a grotesque spectacle, ending the lives of these innocent beasts of burden under the cloak of darkness.
Reports from the residents of Kiahiti had conveyed the distressing cacophony of onomatopoeic sounds of donkeys in distress.
However, the shocking revelation did not stop at the mere act of slaughter. Investigators soon uncovered a disturbing tale of deception and greed that left city dwellers both amazed and repulsed.
The illicit traders, seemingly operating with calculated precision, harvested boneless meat from the donkey carcasses. This clandestine meat was then packaged and peddled to an unsuspecting urban clientele, masquerading as premium beef fillet and other succulent boneless cuts.
The intricate web of this operation did not end there. The audacity of these unscrupulous vendors extended to encompass even the most intimate parts of the donkeys.
Internal organs such as intestines and kidneys were meticulously removed and marketed to outlets specializing in popular roadside delicacies like mutura, supu, and matumbo.
These offerings once thought to be legitimate, were exposed as part of this grim enterprise, perpetuating a cycle of deception that is as shocking as it is appalling.
City residents, including expectant mothers and curious epicureans, flocked to these unassuming outlets, drawn by the allure of a rare and affordable delicacy. Little did they know, their palates were being tantalized by a secret trade, one that had thrived under the shroud of darkness until now.
As the authorities relentlessly pursue three suspects who managed to evade capture during the raid, the incident raises disturbing questions about the lengths to which some individuals are willing to go for profit, even at the expense of ethics and public health.
In February, the police arrested two suspects and recovered two vehicles loaded with donkey meat in the same county. Nevertheless, this is just one of the many cases previously reported in the country.
This discovery serves as a stern reminder of the importance of vigilant law enforcement and consumer awareness in an era where deceit and danger often lurk where they are least expected.
Kenya’s High Court lifted a ban on the slaughter and sale of donkey meat in 2021 after a slaughterhouse and a section of herders challenged the ban in court, saying that they were losing revenue.
The government had ordered donkey slaughterhouses closed in 2020, as concerns rose over the theft of the animals by gangs seeking their skin and other products. Kenya had in 2016 licensed four donkey abattoirs which are far more than any other country on the African continent.
