Kenya's donkey population drops sharply on theft, slaughter

The Association of Donkey Owners in Kenya (ADOK) has accused the government of failing to protect the country’s donkey population, amid claims that there are considerations of reopening slaughterhouses that were shut down.

Four slaughterhouses, including Goldox Kenya Ltd in Baringo County, Star Brilliant Ltd in Nakuru County, Silzha Ltd in Turkana County, and Fuhai Trading Co. Ltd in Machakos County, were shut down following a 2020 ban.

According to the Kenya Socio-Economic Population and Housing Census Report, the national donkey population has plummeted from 1.8 million in the 2009 census to 1.1 million in 2019.

The association officials drawn from 22 counties made the call after members met for a two-day Annual General Meeting (AGM) to review their progress in protecting donkeys and address emerging threats to the animals.

ADOK chairman Robert Maithethia said the welfare of donkeys must remain the priority, noting that the animals continue to play an important role in supporting households, particularly in rural areas.

He says donkey slaughter has contributed to theft, putting the country’s donkey population at risk and currently in the danger zone, especially if the trend continues.

“As an association, we have received and are concerned by reports allegedly emanating from the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) that there are plans to reopen donkey slaughterhouses,” he says.

He notes the allegations are especially about reopening facilities in Kithyoko, and one in Naivasha, with claims that public participation has already taken place.

Maithethia says similar concerns have also emerged in Turkana, where donkey owners fear renewed slaughter could increase theft and further reduce the population.

“That’s not true. There hasn’t been any forum called to hear the voices of donkey owners,” he says, insisting that donkey owners must be involved in decisions affecting the animals.

He went on to raise concern about the outdated laws governing the sector, noting that upon impoundment and arrest, the value of donkey hides compared with the penalties imposed for offences involving the animals creates a loophole that can encourage theft and slaughter.

Although proving difficult, Maithethia says the association is also exploring ways of increasing the donkey population through breeding via artificial insemination and hopes technological advances will eventually provide new ways of supporting donkey breeding.

“We want to call on all stakeholders, including the judiciary, to work together to review laws that are currently making it difficult to secure justice for us as donkey owners,” he says.

Isaac Laisa, the Baringo branch chairperson, says the association’s position is that the government should completely end the business of slaughtering donkeys and trading in their hides.

He says there should be no room for individuals within government to independently authorise the transportation or slaughter of donkeys behind the backs of the government and livestock keepers.

“As owners, whenever we see parts of these animals in the market or in transit, we wonder who is facilitating this business to continue despite the government ban,” Laisa says.

He adds that ADOK is focusing on improving donkey welfare beyond the fight against slaughter and hide trading, with the animal being historically disregarded and overlooked, with little attention paid to its welfare despite its contribution to livelihoods.

He says the association is working with owners to improve feeding, housing and the conditions under which donkeys work.

Esther Longolan, Deputy Chairperson of the ADOK Turkana Branch, says donkeys are particularly important to women and families who lack reliable alternative means of transport.

She says families use donkeys to carry luggage and children when moving, including transporting children or expectant mothers to hospital when they cannot afford or access other forms of transport.

Reiterating the calls from the other speakers, she calls on the government to help protect donkeys from slaughter, particularly in Turkana.

Esther also rejects claims that donkey slaughter is part of Turkana as part of their culture, saying the argument is being used by slaughterhouses to advance the donkey hide trade.

“People involved in the slaughter and illicit trade of donkey skin and meat have been advancing malicious content about the Turkana community and our cultural value of consuming donkey meat. They do this to disguise themselves as they continue to steal donkeys. We do not have such a culture,” she says strongly, adding that the value of their animals supersedes this.

She says authorities should apply the abattoir ban consistently across the country.

“If they close Kithyoko, they should also close the one in Turkana,” she says.

According to The Donkey Sanctuary’s 2025 Donkeys in Global Trade report, nearly 700 donkeys are slaughtered for their skins globally every hour, the vast majority in Africa, amounting to roughly 16,000 animals daily, with the annual death toll now exceeding 5.9 million.

This is driven by demand for ejiao, a traditional Chinese gelatin made from boiled donkey hides, with the crisis erupting in China, where the domestic donkey population collapsed from 11 million in the 1990s to just six million by 2013. With an industry consuming over four million skins annually, Chinese traders turned to Africa to fill the gap.

With two-thirds of the world’s estimated 53 million donkeys residing in Africa, the continent has become the primary target for a sprawling underground trade.

Despite the ban, several impounds have been reported in different parts of the country, with high-incidence theft clusters recorded in Mwingi East, Mwingi Central, Kiambu, Machakos, and Kajiado (with over 200 theft incidents documented), according to a 2026 report by the National Crime Research Centre on Theft and Illegal Trade in Donkey Skins and Related Products in Kenya.

A preliminary report from the Kajiado County livestock department confirmed that, in May this year, confiscated meat from an impound was from 30 donkey carcasses, with an equivalent number of skins recovered.

In March, at least 34 donkey carcasses were buried following a suspected illegal slaughter in Birika area, Kajiado West Sub-County.

Elsewhere in April, 3721 donkey skins were impounded in Kitui's Mwingi West sub-county.

According to the county's veterinary inspection report on impounded donkey skins seen by the Nation, the consignment was intercepted and detained at Nguutani Police Station for further investigation.

The statement further revealed that, following a subsequent veterinary inspection conducted on May 12 by the sub-county livestock and veterinary officers, the hides belonged to donkeys (Equus asinus) and had been flayed, salted, and sun-dried, something consistent with preparation for commercial trade.

“The consignment, transported in an enclosed trailer hauled by motor vehicle registration KAQ 902H belonging to Toprise Enterprise, was intercepted following a multi-agency operation along the Thika-Garissa highway,” the report read.

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