Hotel in Bomet Caught Serving Flamingo Meat to Unsuspecting Customers
Authorities in Bomet County have arrested the owner of a hotel after health officials uncovered that he was secretly selling flamingo meat to customers without their knowledge.
The shocking discovery was made during a surprise inspection led by the Director of Public Health, Leonard Lang’at, together with County Public Health Officer, Felix Langat.
During the raid, officials found fresh flamingo meat stored inside the hotel’s kitchen, with some of it already being prepared for customers. This raised serious health and safety concerns, as flamingos are not a recognized source of food and their sale is considered both unlawful and dangerous.
“The hotel owner has been arrested for allegedly selling flamingo meat after a sting operation conducted earlier today by county health officers.
Freshly delivered flamingo meat was recovered at the premises, some of which was already being cooked for customers,” the Bomet County Government confirmed in a statement.
Chief Officer Leonard Lang’at strongly cautioned other food businesses against engaging in illegal and unsafe practices. He emphasized that all hotels, restaurants, and food vendors must meet the required public health standards and obtain all the necessary licenses to operate legally.
He reminded food business operators that it is mandatory to have a Health Food Hygiene Licence before engaging in the storage, preparation, or sale of food. “We are calling upon everyone handling food in whatever capacity—whether in storage, cooking, or serving—to ensure that they are licensed and comply with our health regulations,” he stressed.
The county government has already rolled out a wider crackdown targeting hotels and food vendors suspected of selling contaminated or unlawful food products. This comes after growing health concerns in the region.
According to Lang’at, the Department of Health has received over 3,500 reports of stomach-related illnesses in the county over the past few months, most of them linked to consumption of unsafe or contaminated food.
He also expressed concern about the rising number of cancer cases in Bomet, pointing to harmful practices such as the use of illegal chemicals in the preparation of local traditional drinks like mursik.
“Cancer cases in Bomet are unfortunately increasing, and in some instances, they can be directly connected to the kind of food and drinks that people are consuming. This is why we are determined to tighten health inspections and ensure every food vendor complies with our regulations,” Lang’at said.
He further urged residents to be very careful about where they eat and the kind of food they choose, warning that ignoring health standards could expose them to serious health problems.
At the same time, he issued a stern warning to all business operators, suppliers, and hotel owners, saying that anyone found flouting the law would face strict legal consequences.
The county government has assured residents that more random inspections will be conducted in the coming weeks as part of efforts to protect the public from harmful food practices.
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