Union of Veterinary Practitioners of Kenya (UVPK) has denounced Roots Party Presidential Candidate George Wajackoyah’s manifesto, to allow Kenya to trade in snakes and hyena’s testicles, calling it a denial of animal’s right to life.UVPK Secretary-General Miheso Mulembani said the two species may diminish if their products are traded due to the low population of the species in the country.
Roots Party Presidential candidate George Wajackoyah’s grand plan is to export hyena’s testicles if he becomes the next president. Image[Courtesy]“The Union of Veterinary Practitioners of Kenya (UPVK) is perturbed at the level of political talk that is likely to cause harm to animals. Prof. Wajakoyah’s assertion that it is possible for Kenyans to trade in Wildlife and Wildlife products is quite worrying and impractical,” the group said in a statement.In his recent event at KICC launching his ten manifestos in two pages, Wajackoyah claims that a single hyena testicle can fetch up to Sh6000,000 in China. Wajackoyah has turned the tables in the run up to the upcoming General Election by defending his manifesto that advocates for the export of Cannabis, Hyena testicles, and venom from snakes.
According to Mulembani, products from animals may lead to the spread and break out of dangerous diseases like viruses and bacteria that may affect human beings considering the recent COVID-19 case that purportedly originated from the Wuhan market in China where the Chinese used to trade in wildlife products.“Wajakoyah’s proposal to trade in snakes and hyena testicles is a recipe for another pandemic owing to the spill of viruses, bacteria, and parasites from hyenas and snakes in the wild to human beings,” it stated.According to Mulembani, Wajackoya’s plan will be a violation of the charter Kenya signed under the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife (CITES).
