THREE Arrested Selling Zebra Meat in Kikuyu

THREE Arrested Selling Zebra Meat in Kikuyu

Three people have been arrested in Kikuyu Sub-County, Kiambu County, following a joint operation by police and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to combat the illegal wildlife meat trade.

The operation, which took place in the Gikambura district, resulted in the recovery of almost one tonne of suspected zebra meat, comprising a skinned carcass and other processed pieces held at a residential property.

The officers also seized tools and equipment believed to have been used in the unlawful trade, as well as a vehicle suspected of carrying the meat.

The sale of game meat was prohibited in 2001, with lawful trade limited to specific designated species such as crocodile and ostrich.

Possession of the restricted meat is illegal under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act (2013), which oversees wildlife protection on all lands, as well as the Meat Control Act (Cap 356), which governs health laws.

The fundamental legal framework prohibits hunting, killing, and possessing wildlife without a permit. It defines meat as the fat, blood, or flesh of any game animal.

Dealing in, transporting, or acquiring wildlife meat/carcasses is punishable by a minimum 3-year jail sentence with no option for a fee under section 98.

General purchase is penalized by a fine of up to KSh 1 million and/or 12 months in prison.

𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄: 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄
𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐂 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐇𝐌𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
Today, KWS officers, working with a multi-agency team, carried out an intelligence-led operation targeting… pic.twitter.com/8p56W03hUa
— Kenya Wildlife Service (@KWSKenya) February 25, 2026

Holding wildlife trophies without a permit carries a penalty of at least KSh 1 million in fines or a minimum of 5 years imprisonment.

This incident comes after the government had ordered the nationwide closure of all businesses selling uninspected meat last year as part of heightened public health surveillance during the festive season.

According to the government, as part of procedures to ensure public safety, all butcheries across the country were to ensure that every animal intended for slaughter underwent an ante-mortem inspection by a certified veterinary or public health officer.

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After slaughter, the carcasses had to undergo a post-mortem inspection, after which an official stamp of approval was issued to confirm that the meat was fit for human consumption.

Cases of people found in possession of game meat are rare in the country.

One notable case is that of three men in 2021 who were sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined KSh 2.2 million each for possession of 595kg of bushmeat, including dik-diks and gerenuks.

In Nyahururu, a 23-year-old man found with 200 kg of zebra meat in 2019 was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment or a KSh 2.2 million fine.

THREE Arrested Selling Zebra Meat in Kikuyu