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Donkeys awaiting transportation to Rhamu Livestock Market. Demand for donkeys
has sharply increased over the years, making the trade quite lucrative.

Donkey keeping is becoming

big business in Mandera

ivestock keeping is the mainstay of the about their availability for sale, I was met with these letters, she can freely trade and move her
economy for the pastoralist community resistance. The residents were not keen on sell- livestock.
Lin Mandera County. The main livestock ing the animals. They asked all manner of ques-
species in Mandera in order of importance are tions, ranging from where I was taking them af- She buys a donkey for between Sh3,500 and
camel, cattle, goat, sheep, donkey and poul- ter the purchase, to why I was not buying from Sh8,000, depending on the weight and health
try. Livestock numbers and their distribution other parts of the country,” she explains. of the donkey. She also pays a veterinary fee
have changed over time, often vulnerable to and county government tax-handling fee.
calamities like drought, diseases and pressure But she eventually convinced them of her busi- On a good day, she can buy and transports be-
on rangeland resources due to an increase in ness interests and the investment opportunity tween 35 and 70 donkeys. All the animals are
human population and settlements. This has that the locals were missing. The narrative has supplied to the Goldox Donkey Slaughterhouse
in turn changed the livestock business in Man- now changed. Donkey keepers in Mandera in Mogotio, Baringo County, which slaughters
dera County. now smile all the way to the bank. The once ne- and exports both the meat and hide to China.
glected animal has become priceless. In fact
We visited Rhamu, a town in Mandera County the trade in donkeys has now attracted farm- Once the consignment is ready, she hires a
that sits across the Daua River from the town ers in neighbouring countries of Ethiopia and trailer to transport the donkeys to Baringo, a
of Sathe, in Ethiopia, at the international border Somalia. Everyday is market day as livestock journey that takes two days and costs Sh3,000
between Kenya and Ethiopia. Here, we met farmers engage in donkey business – selling per donkey. The challenges of transporting
Mary Waithera, a middle-aged donkey trader and buying of this beast of burden. donkeys include colic in the animals (severe
who was all smiles as she interacted freely with abdominal discomfort characterised by paw-
traders in the livestock market. Said Gabow, the treasurer of Rhamu Livestock ing, rolling and sometimes inability to defecate),
Market confirms that, “Donkey farmers now because ordinarily, donkeys don’t drink water
For the last two years, she has been buying and have a reason to smile because the prices are while on transit. She also has to deal with con-
selling donkeys from different parts of the coun- good. The demand for livestock like cattle, goat, stant harassment by traffic police. Worse cases
try. However Rhamu market has impressed her. sheep and camel, had significantly dropped include death of the animals due to fatigue.
She says that, “I have been doing this business and we were wondering how we were going to
for the last three years, but I have never been feed our families. But thanks to donkey keep- Upon reaching the slaughterhouse, she sells a
to a market as vibrant as Rhamu. When I was ing, we can now earn a decent living.” he adds. kilogramme of donkey meat at Sh85. The Sh300
looking for a place to buy donkeys, someone million abattoir slaughters around 150 donkeys
hinted to me to try Mandera County, Rhamu Waithera explains that before making a pur- a day.
sub-county to be precise, and I thought to my- chase, she must first acquire a no-obligation
self, ‘why not?’” permit. This is a licence that enables her to Her advise to those interested in the trade is:
move livestock freely from the point of sale to “This is a business full of opportunities because
In January this year, she decided to visit the abattoir. The Chinese abattoir she deals the market is huge. Mandera residents should
Rhamu. She was surprised to find a huge un- with issues the licence, instructing her to pur- take advantage of the favourable climatic con-
tapped market of donkeys. “When I came here, chase the livestock from a particular area with dition that is conducive for rearing donkeys.
donkeys were roaming freely, yet nobody paid a letter from the local chief and the local police With time, Mandera will be the leading source
attention to them. However, when I enquired station as proof of the transaction. Armed with of donkey meat and products in the country.”