Celebrity chef Dennis Ombachi, popularly known as the Roaming Chef, has sparked widespread debate online after sharing a “farm-to-table” video documenting the preparation of an ostrich meal.
The video, which shows Ombachi chasing an ostrich before later preparing it from his balcony, quickly went viral, with many social media users questioning whether the act was legal and urging the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to investigate.
However, others defended the chef, arguing that ostrich farming is a legal commercial activity in Kenya and that the source of the meat shown in the video had not been established.
Ombachi, who has built a large online following through his outdoor cooking content and creative recipes, regularly features unique ingredients in his videos.
Video Triggers Mixed Reactions Online
In a spot check by The Kenya Times, the video posted on June 19 has attracted more than 168 likes on Instagram and more than 1.5 million likes on TikTok.
With thousands of comments from Kenyans, many have raised concerns over Kenya’s wildlife conservation laws.
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Some users accused the chef of poaching a protected species, while others tagged KWS and called for investigations into the origin of the ostrich meat.
“This angers me. It just doesn’t sit well with me because the ostrich is a wild bird that is supposed to be protected. I am sharing this video from the owner as a concerned citizen,” said Esher Bahita on X
The debate comes shortly after a separate incident in Wajir on June 14, where KWS officers took custody of an ostrich that had been raised by a woman from a young chick.
Abdia Ali Ibrahim from Ademasajida village in Wajir West had rescued the bird during a drought and cared for it for more than a year, but KWS said the ostrich was a protected wild animal that could not remain in private custody without the required licenses.
“Pale kwa balcony naona Ombachi amepika ostrich. Which confuses me. The other day KWS seized an ostrich from a woman in Wajir, claiming it is a protected animal. An ostrich she had reared from a young chick. So, how is Ombachi allowed to butcher one?” said Dr Stange on X
The debate quickly expanded beyond the cooking demonstration, with many Kenyans seeking clarification on whether ostrich meat can legally be sold and consumed in the country.
Kenyan Law Allows Licensed Ostrich Farming
Kenya’s Wildlife Conservation and Management Act provides for regulated game farming under licensing by the Kenya Wildlife Service.
The Act’s Tenth Schedule lists wildlife species for which game farming may be permitted. Among the listed species are ostriches, crocodiles, snails and frogs, meaning ostriches can legally be reared under approved commercial wildlife farming programmes.
As a result, cooking or eating ostrich meat is not automatically illegal. The determining factor is whether the bird was lawfully sourced from a licensed facility or illegally obtained from the wild.
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The law also prohibits unauthorized hunting, possession, transportation, or trade in protected wildlife or wildlife products without the necessary approvals.
Commercial Ostrich Farming in Kenya
Kenya has licensed ostrich farms that rear the birds for meat, leather, feathers, and breeding, supplying both domestic and export markets.
Among the known operators is Maasai Ostrich Farm in Kitengela, while ostrich meat has also featured on menus at Nairobi’s Carnival Restaurant, making it one of the more familiar game meat options available to consumers.
Other farms include Ukunda Farm Park, Kedowa Ostrich Farm in Kericho, and GEM’s Poultry Farm, but currently they are not active.
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