NAIROBI, KENYA: Crisis-ridden Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) is seeking an international firm to modernise its plant and machinery to be more efficient.
The upgrade of the plant, put up in the 1950s, will include automating slaughter facilities, refrigeration infrastructure as well as the canning infrastructure.
Also to be undertaken is automation of KMC’s energy infrastructure including steam generation, distribution system and electricity usage. “KMC invites suitable firms experienced in abattoir design, construction and equipping to modernize KMC,” the international competitive bidding notice said.
The notice added that the firm is expected to automate and modernise the rendering and by-products processing facilities as well as the value added products’ lines and packaging technology to be in line with modern technologies and current market trends. In addition, an upgrade of the enterprise resources planning (ERP) system for meat and meat products to enhance accountability and traceability.
JOB EVALUATION
Other works under the project will entail the upgrade of the general infrastructure including structural design, water supply and waste management systems. The Government has in recent weeks moved to restore order in the debt-ridden meat processor over mismanagement and corruption. Earlier this month, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei sent packing the entire board of directors over continued poor performance of the firm. Only the board chairman Josiah Taraiya Ole Kores was spared in the purge.
And during an inspection tour of the plant in Athi River last weekend, Koskei revealed that the meat processor has a bloated workforce of about 467 yet the factory continues to experience losses against the operational capacity of 40 per cent. “We spend about Sh8 million each month on staff and we are losing a lot of money on workforce that is doing minimal work. Of the Sh700 million set for upgrading the factory, Sh250 million will be spent on rightsizing the workforce, which will be done after job evaluation,” he said.
