Kenyaโs growing concerns over donkey theft, illegal slaughter and the illicit trade in donkey skins have taken a fresh turn, with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) engaging Brooke East Africa on strengthening the response to emerging offences.
The latest discussions come after a September 3 security operation at the Fuhai Machakos Trading Co. Ltd donkey abattoir in Kithyoko, Machakos County, where eight people were arrested following intelligence that operations were allegedly continuing at the facility despite its previous closure.
Eastern Regional Commissioner Jacob Muganda led the operation, after which the premises were declared a crime scene and ordered closed. The Border Patrol Unit was subsequently deployed to secure the site as investigations continued.
Muganda also warned that law-enforcement officers found to have facilitated or protected the alleged activities would face accountability.
The Kithyoko incident has since become part of a wider national concern over offences involving donkeys and the illegal trade in their skins.
During Thursdayโs engagement, Brooke East Africa briefed the ODPP on emerging trends in donkey-related crime, including theft, illegal slaughter and the unlawful trade in donkey skins and related products.
The organisation also shared findings on donkey theft and updates on ongoing prosecutions involving offences in the sector.
The discussions come against the backdrop of Kenyaโs 2020 ban on the commercial slaughter of donkeys and the African Unionโs 2024 continental moratorium on the trade in donkey skins.
Participants noted concerns over the emergence of illegal and bush slaughter, as well as difficulties faced by authorities when investigating and prosecuting offences involving donkeys, their skins and related products.
The meeting also considered findings by the National Crime Research Centre (NCRC), including issues highlighted in its 2026 findings on donkey theft and the illegal trade in donkey skins and related products.
ODPP Secretary, Prosecution Services, Alloys Kemo, OGW, called for stronger coordination among agencies involved in investigating, prosecuting and preventing donkey-related offences.
Kemo stressed the importance of timely information sharing and coordinated responses as authorities seek to address emerging criminal trends.
He welcomed continued engagement between the ODPP and Brooke East Africa and encouraged collaboration with other relevant stakeholders to strengthen the response while supporting the welfare of working equines and communities that depend on them.
Brooke East Africa Regional Director Dr Raphael Kinoti said a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach was necessary to address offences affecting donkeys, horses and mules, particularly the illegal trade in donkey skins and associated criminal activities.
The discussions also explored practical areas of institutional collaboration, including information sharing and continued engagement on emerging issues affecting working equines.
The latest development places incidents such as the Kithyoko raid within a broader national debate over the effectiveness of measures introduced to curb commercial donkey slaughter and the illegal skin trade.
For communities that rely on donkeys for transport, farming, trade and other livelihoods, the issue goes beyond animal welfare, raising concerns over theft, loss of income and the protection of working animals.
With Kenyaโs commercial slaughter ban and the African Unionโs continental moratorium on donkey skin trade in place, attention is increasingly turning to how authorities can close enforcement gaps and strengthen prosecution of those involved in illegal activities.
The ODPP-Brooke East Africa engagement signals a renewed push for closer cooperation between prosecutors, investigators, security agencies and animal-welfare stakeholders as Kenya confronts the evolving threat surrounding donkey-related crime.
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