Tanzania has
celebrated the National Donkey Day in Chambalo village, Chemba District, Dodoma
while urging citizens, especially livestock keepers, to ensure that donkeys are
given their rights like other animals.
The Deputy
Secretary-General of the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Abdul Mhinte said
if these animals are protected and cared for they can bring more economic
benefit to the communities.
The event that
took place on Saturday May 17, 2025 was sponsored by Brooke East Africa,
through INADES-Formation Tanzania and the Arusha-based Arusha Society
For the Protection of Animals (ASPA),
in collaboration with the government through the Ministry of Livestock and
Fisheries and was participated by various other organisations from within the
country.
Gracing the
event, Mhinte said it was important that donkeys are given their rights
just like any other animals because they were the lifeline to most villagers
through various works.
“Donkeys are used
for many purposes of transporting various items and also for farming
activities. This lessens our work and so we need to protect him by giving food,
water, shelter and other necessities,” he said.
He said the
community need to ensure that donkeys welfare by giving them food and water on
time and ensure they are free from pain, injury and disease and are not required
to work beyond their capacity.
For his part, the
Managing Director of INADES-Formation Tanzania, Mr. Mbarwa Kivuyo, said the
education provided to the citizens during the National Donkey Day will help
them to raise the animal for their own benefits by considering donkeys are of economic
benefits.
He said the team
of experts in the three camps of Chambalo village, Gwandi village and Kambi ya
Nyasa village had vaccinate donkeys to prevent worms that weaken them,
treatment of hoofs and injuries resulting from whipping.
"A donkey is
an animal that is intelligent because it can easily be taught and directed . it
is not therefore necessary to use sticks and whips,” he said.
He said the team
also provided education on how to tie a rope when doing agricultural
activities, putting a blanket on its back to prevent injuries when carrying
loads.
According to ASPA Managing Director Mr. Livingstone Masija herders need to be gentle with donkeys if
they want to profit from them.
He said at least 400
donkeys had been reached during the vaccination, hoofs and wounds treatment
exercise.
The Director of
the Department of Livestock Services from the Ministry of Livestock and
Fisheries, Mr. Benezeth Lutege, said African heads of state met in Dar es
salaam in previous years to promote donkeys rights and instituting a ban on
donkey trade and their products in their previous meetings.
According to him, data showed by 2021, the Africa was estimated to have a total of 53 million donkeys even as 5.9 million donkeys are being slaughtered every year, thus threatening the animal's extinction in the world.