The East African nation legalised trade in donkey meat and hide in 2012 to meet growing demand in China.
Minister Peter Munya said the decision had been a mistake as it had caused the donkey population to fall.
Many people in rural areas use donkeys to fetch water and firewood, raising fears that their dwindling numbers will increase the workload of women.
Kenya has about 1.2 million donkeys compared with 1.8 million a decade ago, according to government data published last week.
Animal Ethics Project 