Part of the donkey hides in the truck that was impounded by
the Multi-Agency Security team on Monday/Musembi Nzengu.Police manning a checkpoint along the Thika–Garissa highway on Monday intercepted a truck transporting donkey hides in a crackdown on illegal wildlife-related trade.
The vehicle, which was ferrying about 3,000 donkey hides weighing approximately 16 tonnes, was stopped by a multi-agency security team at a roadblock before being escorted to Nguutani police station, where it remains impounded.
Mwingi West Deputy County Commissioner Rukia Chitechi said the truck driver and his assistant will be processed and arraigned in Mwingi.
She praised the team stationed at the Border Patrol Base in Kanyonyoo, Kitui county, for its vigilance in intercepting the consignment.
Chitechi said preliminary investigations suggest the hides originated from the now-closed Kithyoko donkey abattoir. She added that the suspects did not have any documentation authorising the transportation of the hides.
“We are not aware of where the donkey hides were being taken. All we know is that they came from a godown in Kithyoko,” she said.
The administrator further noted that donkey theft and illegal slaughter have become growing concerns in the region, with many residents losing animals to unscrupulous traders.
She said donkeys remain a crucial part of rural livelihoods, as they are used for transport and household chores, and their loss has had a significant impact on affected families.
Chitechi commended security agencies in the Mwingi region for sustained efforts to combat the illegal donkey trade, including meat and hides.
She said since December, the multi-agency security team has made several interceptions, including 136 donkeys in one incident, 38 donkeys shortly afterwards and another 62 in March.
She also cited an ongoing court case involving a truck intercepted in April while transporting 3,721 donkey hides.
In some cases, she said, donkeys confirmed to have been stolen were successfully returned to their owners.
Authorities said investigations into the latest interception are ongoing as the crackdown on the illegal donkey trade intensifies in the region.
Mwingi West Deputy County Commissioner Rukia chitechi accompanied by security officers addressing journalists at Nguutani on Monday following the impounding of a lorry carry 3000 donkey hides/Musembi Nzengu.
