66 Donkeys Seized in Garissa as Drivers Arrested

July 15 , 2026 - Police in Garissa have impounded two lorries transporting 66 donkeys after the drivers allegedly failed to produce documents proving ownership or authorising the movement of the animals.

The two drivers were arrested on Monday morning at the Tana Bridge police barrier along the Garissa route and are being held at Garissa Police Station as investigations continue into the suspected theft of the animals.

According to a police incident report, officers manning the barrier intercepted two lorries, registration numbers KDY 850D and KDU 767E,at about 10am.

The vehicles were found carrying 35 and 31 donkeys,respectively.

Police said the drivers, identified as Samuel Kimani and David Maina,were unable to provide ownership documents or livestock movement permits required for transporting the animals.

The suspects were escorted to Garissa Police Station, where they were placed in custody pending investigations. The two lorries and the donkeys were detained at the station as exhibits.

Investigators are seeking to establish the source and intended destination of the animals and whether they had been stolen.

The seizure comes amid increasing concern over rampant donkey theft across Kenya, driven by the lucrative international trade in donkey skins used to produce ejiao , a traditional Chinese medicine.

The illegal trade has led to a sharp decline in donkey populations, affecting rural households that depend on the animals for transport, farming and water collection.

In 2020, Kenya banned commercial donkey slaughter after conservationists and animal welfare groups warned that the trade was threatening the country's donkey population and undermining the livelihoods of communities that rely on the animals.


The incident also comes as the African Union (AU) steps up efforts to eliminate the donkey meat and skin trade across the continent.

In February 2024, African heads of state and government endorsed a 15-year continent-wide moratorium on donkey slaughter for their skins,following recommendations by African agriculture ministers. The AU said the ban is intended to protect rapidly declining donkey populations and safeguard the livelihoods of millions of households that depend on the animals.

The AU has warned that unchecked slaughter and cross-border trafficking could push donkey populations towards local extinction in several African countries, urging member states to strengthen enforcement against illegal trade and theft networks.

Police said investigations into the Garissa case are ongoing.