Plans are underway to improve the standards and expand the capacity of the slaughterhouse in Busia town.
Speaking during a visit to the facility in Mayenje ward on Friday, Busia County Chief Officer for Agriculture Mr. Timothy Odende said that the County requires Sh7.8 million shillings for the facility’s facelift and expansion.
“Initially the facelift required Sh2.8 million but we are looking forward to adding another Sh5 million to bring it up to the standards that are required,” he said.
Odende stated that the slaughterhouse has a capacity to handle 200 cows per day but it is currently operating at 10 cows per day due to the collapse of the existing infrastructure.
“The County government has commissioned a contractor at the Busia Youth polytechnic to revamp the infrastructure to standards that are required,” he said, adding that the staff have also been supplied with hygienic clothing needed for the work.
He noted that a lot of illegal meat at times gets its way to some butcheries in the County adding that improvement of the facility was necessary before the County embarked on cracking down on illegal meat sellers.
Busia County Chief Officer for Veterinary Services Dr. Allan Ogendo said that there was a need to improve the quality of animal skin from the slaughterhouse so that it can feed into the long awaited Industrial park.
Ogendo stated that currently the hides and skins from the facility are sold to Uganda where they are carrying out tanning.
“The County has plans to have a leather Industry at Nasewa Industrial Park,” he said, adding that the improved skins will also create employment opportunities for the local residents.
The Meat Inspector at Busia Municipal Slaughterhouse Mr. Calvin Ninga stated that a lot of meat consumed in Busia town was originating from Uganda whose hygienic standards cannot be established.
Ninga appealed to both the County and National government to ensure that importation of meat is minimized so that local residents are protected from diseases originating from animal products.
“The meat that comes from Uganda does not generate any revenue to the County because it is sneaked in through the porous border,” he said.
Mayenje MCA Mr. Richard Okello advised the local residents to bring animals to the facility for slaughter so that the meat can be inspected to ensure that it is safe for human consumption.
By Salome Alwanda
