By  Peter Ochieng

Officials of the Union of Veterinary Practitioners of Kenya (UVPK) have denounced what they term as ‘political talk likely to cause harm to animals’ over Roots Party of Kenya Presidential candidate George Wajackoyah’s assertion, that it is possible for Kenyans to trade in Wildlife and their products.

While unveiling his manifesto on June 30, 2022, ahead of the August 09, 2022, general polls, Wajackoyah said that if elected into office, his administration will among others introduce snake farming, export dog meat and hyena testicles for foreign currency.

However, UVPK through a statement on July 02, 2022, said the presidential hopeful’s pledges are quite worrying and impractical.

“Kenya is a treaty member to the Washington Convention also known as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife (CITES). CITES protects the survival of the species in the wild and regulates international trade in specimens of species of wildlife based on a system of permits and certificates issued under certain conditions,” the statement reads in part.

“Trade in Hyena testicles and snakes is disallowed and a threat to the existence of the wild species.”

UVPK says Wajackoyah’s proposal if implemented will lead to an outbreak of diseases.

“Furthermore, Prof Wajackoyah’s 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. As you may be aware, COVID-19 originated in Wuhan market in China as a result of trade in wildlife products.”

Diseases most likely to break out are Rabies, Brucellosis, Leptospirosis, Yersiniosis, Campylobacterosis, Salmonellosis, Cryptosporidiosis, Giardiasis, pathogenic E. coli, Toxoplasmosis and Echinococcosis among others.

That is in case trade in hyena products is legalized under Wajackoyah’s government.