By Ibrahim Happy
Two donkey owners in Mandera have been jailed for mistreating their animals.
Mr Ali Maalim Muktaz and Kislow Mohamed Hassan were arrested in Mandera town on October 16 after they were reportedly found with an overloaded donkey cart that the animal strained to pull.
Mandera Senior Resident Magistrate Peter Wasike jailed the pair for four months and lamenting over soaring cases of cruelty to animals.
Donkey cart operators are finding their working unbearable due to implementation of Cruelty to Animals Act 2012 that bars misuse of the animals.
The law bars one from beating, overloading or torturing the animals and those found guilty are liable to a maximum fine of Sh3000 or a jail term not exceeding six months.
During a recent spot-check, we found dozens of donkeys in Mandera town streets massively overladen, hungry and exhausted.
Our sources told us that the animals had been forced to walk for over 10 kilometres with no food or water exposing them to unnecessary suffering.
Their haunches are striped with open wounds from poor harnessing, and if they falter on the journey, they are tormented by being whipped on their hind legs.
In most cases, these animals go for an entire day without a drop of water to quench their thirst.
Once unloaded, they wait in the scorching sun until it is time for them to be loaded again for the long journey back.
Their two most pressing needs during the ongoing drought are shade and water.
The court said it had received pictures and videos of a donkey carrying 100, 50-kilogram bags of maize which is equivalent to more than 2000 kilogrammes and others with heavy injuries and broken legs bleeding profusely but still being overworked.
To prevent further harassment of donkeys, Mr Wasike called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders including human rights activists and the clergy.
Mandera borders Somalia and Ethiopia and in most cases, donkeys are used transport goods from the cross border up to markets in Mandera.
Residents however fear that the move would cause diplomatic row thus ruining their business.
“These donkeys transport goods from the cross-border which our people in Mandera are in need of and we do not want to ruin the good relationship with our neighbouring countries but the law must take its course,” he said.
“We have held talks with the county commissioner and we have agreed that he should constitute the cross-border committee so that our officers on the ground should also take charge and control the situation,” the Magistrate revealed.
He called upon the Mandera municipal manager to formulate laws safeguarding the safety of donkeys and forward them to the county assembly for ratification.
The welfare association unit of veterinary medicine in Mandera have also cautioned the public against the cruelty meted on donkeys in towns saying punitive legal actions would be taken against those found culpable.
Religious leaders have applauded the approach of the court against the cruelty to donkeys and promised to help the police identify and arrest culprits who torture the animals.
Chairperson Sheikh Ahmed Hassan said his office will establish a committee of “whistle blowers” to frequently alert the authorities on those disregarding the directive.
