A ban had been imposed on the slaughter of donkeys for their meat in 2020.
But a slaughterhouse and a section of herders challenged the ban in court, saying that they were losing revenue.
“The government has failed to sufficiently defend this case and this court quashes the Legal Notice 63 of 2020 as it violates the rights of Star Brilliant,” said Justice Richard Mwongo in his ruling.
“The legal notice violates the rights of the applicant under Article 47 of the Constitution and the applicant is granted a stay to operate in light of the failure by the respondent to file back his response,” he said.
THE STANDARD
RIFT VALLEY
In their application before the High Court, Star Brilliant sought a judicial review of the legal notice. [Courtesy]
Proprietors of donkey slaughterhouses have a reason to smile after the High Court quashed a ban on the slaughter of the animals.
This follows a successful application by Star Brilliant Slaughterhouse that sought to bar Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya and Attorney General Kihara Kariuki from enforcing a legal notice that banned slaughtering of donkeys.
In February 2020, Munya directed the management of slaughterhouses to stop their operations following concern that the donkey population was on a sharp decline.