Police and public health officers in Kitengela, Kajiado engaged in a cat-and-mouse battle with residents scrambling to get a piece of stake meat that had been dumped by unknown people in an open field at Kyangombe area.
A section of Kitengela residents was reported to have made away with the stake meat, liver, and internal goat organs in what they celebrated as free meat by the time police officers arrived and cut short the free meat scrumble.
Despite being unaware of the source of the meat and why it was dumped, residents said with the tough economic times the risk of free meat was worth it.
Police thwarted any attempts by speculators who turned up in numbers for a piece of the meat forcing onlookers to disperse.
The cops in conjunction with the health officers were forced to torch the meat in an effort to safeguard consumers.
Police said the first people to get away with the meat mainly comprised samosa and mutura dealers.
“It is so unfortunate that locals can dare steal the contaminated dumped meat. This is a dangerous health hazard.
“Hunger should not be an excuse for risking lives by engaging in a such dangerous action,” Monica Muniu said.
The incident comes amid a ban on food hawking by the county government in an effort to contain cholera cases that have been reported in Kajiado and the neighboring Machakos County.
“Yes, we are aware that there is cholera but no risk no gain. This could just be our luck. I was hoping to get a piece of liver but unfortunately, it has already been torched,” Alex Mulwa, a resident of Kitengela, lamented.
Police said they have launched a manhunt for the person who illegally dumped the meat to establish the motive.
Health officers are also calling upon locals to be wary of any meat being sold at a cheaper price within the town.
