Veterinary practitioners rubbish Wajackoyah's plan to export snake meat, hyena testicles

The Union of Veterinary Practitioners of Kenya (UVPK) has dismissed Roots Party presidential candidate Prof. George Wajackoyah’s proposal to have Kenya trade in snakes and hyenas should he clinch the presidency in August, terming it impractical.

Among a raft of other unconventional ideas captured in his manifesto released on Thursday, Wajackoyah intends to have Kenya export snake and hyena meat as well as the scavengers’ testicles to the Asian market in a bid to augment revenue collection streams and offset the country’s ballooning debt.

In a statement dated July 1, 2022, UVPK Secretary General Dr. Miheso Mulembani noted that trading in the said products can diminish the population of the two species which can lead to their extinction locally.

“The Union of Veterinary Practitioners of Kenya (UVPK) is perturbed at the level of political talk that is likely to cause harm to animals,” said Dr. Mulembani.

As a treaty member of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife (CITES), Dr. Mulembani went on, Kenya has agreed to safeguard wildlife species from over-exploitation, as such Wajackoyah’s plans contradict the aforementioned charter.

UVPK is also against Wajackoyah’s proposal because of the possibility that another zoonotic pandemic, like COVID-19, may arise once Kenyans start interfacing with the said animals.

“Furthermore. Prof. Wajackoya proposal to trade in snakes and hyena testicles is a recipe for another pandemic owing to spill over of viruses, bacteria and parasites from hyenas and snakes in the wild to human beings,” said Dr. Mulembani.

“As you may be aware, COVID- 19 originated in Wuhan market in China as a result of trade in wildlife products. Kenyans should be prepared for a surge in zoonotic diseases such as rabies, brucellosis, leptospirosis. and yersiniosis among others should trade in hyena and snake products be legalized under Wajackoyah’s government."

He likewise advised Wajackoyah to consult UVPK before making proposals which may jeopardize the existence wildlife.