Three individuals have been arrested in Kikuyu Sub-County, Kiambu County, following a joint operation by police and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). The raid in the Gikambura area uncovered over one tonne of suspected zebra meat, including a skinned carcass and processed portions, along with transport tools. The trade violates wildlife protection laws.
A joint operation by police officers and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has led to the arrest of three individuals in the Gikambura area of Kikuyu Sub-County, Kiambu County. Authorities recovered over one tonne of suspected zebra meat, including a skinned carcass and assorted processed portions stored at a residential premises. They also seized tools and equipment believed to have been used in the illegal trade, along with a vehicle suspected of transporting the meat.
The sale of game meat was banned in 2001, with legal trade restricted to specific approved species like crocodile and ostrich. The primary legal framework is the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act (2013), which governs wildlife protection on all lands, and the Meat Control Act (Cap 356) for health regulations. Under the law, hunting, killing, or possessing wildlife without a permit is prohibited, and meat includes the fat, blood, or flesh of any game animal.
Section 98 stipulates that dealing in, transporting, or purchasing wildlife meat or carcasses carries a minimum three-year jail term with no fine option. General purchasing is punishable by a fine of up to KSh 1 million or 12 months in prison. Holding wildlife trophies without a permit incurs at least a KSh 1 million fine or a minimum of five years imprisonment.
This incident follows the government's nationwide closure of businesses selling uninspected meat last year as part of enhanced public health surveillance during the festive season. According to the government, every animal intended for slaughter must undergo ante-mortem inspection by a certified veterinary or public health officer, followed by post-mortem inspection and an official stamp confirming the meat is fit for human consumption.
Cases of possessing game meat are rare in the country. One notable case involved three men in 2021 sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined KSh 2.2 million each for possessing 595kg of bushmeat, including dik-diks and gerenuks. In Nyahururu, a 23-year-old man found with 200kg of zebra meat in 2019 was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment or a KSh 2.2 million fine.