Mara Mobile Veterinary Unit

Category: Maasai People | Date: Mar 14 2007 | By: admin

In the midst of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) outbreak, most of the people in Nairobi are refraining from nyama choma (roasted meat). Kenyans are meat lovers and I find it funny when my friends are only ordering githeri (beans) for lunch. In Trans Mara, love of meat definately wins over the fear of RVF and people are still very much carnivorous.

One concerning thing observed here in the Trans Mara is the fact that people do not mind eating the meat from sudden death case. Cattle dropping dead from unknown reason does not necessary deter people from consumption of that meat. Although RFV has not yet reached Trans Mara, this is scary trend.

This afternoon I visited boma for dog vaccination and found people feasting on meat. ‘Is there any cerebration today?’, I ask. The guys tell me that they are ‘just eating’. I was later told by the wives that the guys were eating the meat because one cattle died during the night from unknown cause…