Nairobi — A vehicle transporting suspected donkey meat to Nairobi has crashed in Mai Mahiu along Nairobi-Nakuru highway.

The police said the car was traveling to Nairobi on Tuesday when it rolled on the highway, injuring one person, who is believed to be the driver.

The police added the driver was receiving medical attention at a Tigoni hospital under their watch pending further investigations.

"The car got into an accident where it rolled and injured one occupant who we suspect to be the driver, who is now hospitalized in Tigoni hospital being guarded pending investigations," police said.

"He will be arraigned before court for ferrying uninspected meat which is highly suspected to be a donkey meat."

The trade in donkey meat and hide was legalized in Kenya in 2012 but it remained a unpopular choice and its uptake remained low despite the licencing of four donkey abattoirs in 2016.

Its trade has been retained by bans imposed to mitigate the sale of uninspected meat.

The High Court 2021 lifted a ban on donkey slaughtering in May saying the State had failed to argue its case on why the ban should be upheld.

"The government has failed to sufficiently defend this case and this court quashes the Legal Notice 63 of 2020 as it violates the rights of Star Brilliant," said Justice Richard Mwongo in his May 2021 ruling.

A ban had been imposed on the slaughter of donkeys for their meat in 2020.