Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has announced a multi-agency operation aimed at apprehending those transporting and sneaking unsafe meat into the market.
Addressing the Senate plenary session on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, Linturi who recently survived an impeachment motion over a fake fertiliser scandal, revealed that Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki leads the multi-agency team. Apart from him being a member, Linturi added that the Health CS Susan Nakhumicha also sits on the team.
"We have formed a multi-agency team in all the 47 counties. The lead CS in this matter is Interior Cabinet Secretary, Agriculture and Health," Linturi stated.
The crackdown involves conducting highway patrols, erecting roadblocks and conducting routine inspection exercises nationwide.
"This is to ensure that no meat is out there that is not safe. We have highway patrols, roadblocks have been mounted and we have weekly inspections for compliance," he told senators.
CS Linturi answers Sen Korir's inquiry on disposal of unfit meat by outlining measures under the Meat Control Act . From ante mortem inspection to condemnation facilities, & repurposing condemned carcasses to animal feed. Safeguards are in place to prevent sale of unsafe meat. pic.twitter.com/eGjns5r5el
— Senate of Kenya (@Senate_KE) May 22, 2024
Linturi's assurance
Linturi further assured the senators that the multi-agency team has identified areas considered hotspots for slaughtering and selling of meat unfit for human consumption.
The CS asserted that his ministry is well aware that donkeys are mainly targeted by unscrupulous businesspeople sneaking the meat into the market.
However, he assured the senators that the multi-agency team has so far apprehended key suspects involved in the outlawed trade.
"We have mapped out these illegal hotspots especially slaughterhouses dealing with donkeys," he noted.
"Out of all these policies, we are getting very good results. This is to ensure that our meat is safe for human consumption," he insisted.
On Saturday, May 18, 2024, Kirinyaga residents waylaid four suspects with donkey meat. The suspects were nabbed red-handed after slaughtering 30 donkeys near River Sagana.
The irate residents set ablaze one of the cars which was loaded with the slaughtered donkey meat which was destined for Nairobi.
"It was reported by an administrator that members of the public had sighted a group of unknown people slaughtering donkeys within Katothya village," Eastern regional police commander Joseph Ole Napeiyan stated.
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