Residents of Kitengela town have raised an alarm over dangerous cheap samosas allegedly being made from the meat of dead animals.
The samosa’s selling at Sh20 each has become a booming business, especially after dusk with lovers of the delicacy crowding selling points on the busy streets to munch on them.
Moreover, the number of traders selling samosa in Kitengela has tripled. A huge meat samosa goes for Sh20, raising eyebrows, especially now that meat supply has been cut by the ongoing drought. The normal retail price of a samosa is usually between Sh30 and Sh100, depending on the eatery.
The trend is reportedly the same in Kiserian and Ongata Rongai.
Likewise, some of the residents said they had noticed that meat samosas were being sold cheaply. Mr Jonathan Mutua, 28, a reported that he stopped eating samosas when he developed stomach problems after eating several of them last week.
Mr. Mutua was forced to seek treatment at Kitengela Sub-County Hospital the next day after continuous diarrhea and vomiting.
Nevertheless, it is suspected that some samosa vendors are making the delicacy from the meat of animals that have died due to the drought in the region to enrich themselves regardless of the danger they are exposing their customers to.
Similarly, a bodaboda rider while sharing information on the dangerous business reported that some traders hire riders to transport the meat of dead animals from the villages. Moreover, the carcasses of dead animals in Kajiado County, are strewn in open fields
“I know it is a booming business. Some of the traders engage motorcycle riders to ferry the meat. Some buy the carcasses from farmers pretending that it is for their dogs. They only carry away steak,” he said.
Also Read: Thai Woman Jailed After Video of her Eating Bat Goes Viral
Moreover, the herders who are lucky enough to find a customer sell dead mature animal carcasses for Sh300 each.
Kajiado Referral Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Fred Ayany Otia noted that people are discouraged from eating meat from dead animals because of health dangers associated with it.
“Mostly a person develops food poisoning symptoms, which come with severe stomachache, vomiting [and] diarrhea. The symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can be fatal,” he said.
Dr. Otia also advised members of the public to consume only inspected meat.
Furthermore, African Veterinary Technicians Association president Benson Ameda said eating dead animals helps transmit zoonotic diseases to humans.
