Slaughterhouse that has remained ‘White Elephant’

Nambale slaughterhouse that was constructed by Ministry of State for Special Programmes and handed over to Busia county in 2016 but has not been put to use. [Photo: Ignatius Odanga/Standard]

Residents of Nambale have expressed concern about a slaughterhouse that has been lying idle for two years.

According to area MCA Mwajuma Toloi, the abattoir, on the outskirts of Nambale town, was constructed by the national government under the Economic Stimulus Programme at a cost of Sh15 million.

Construction started in 2011 during the regime of President Mwai Kibaki and was completed in 2016. The slaughterhouse has all the necessary equipment.

The facility was handed over to the county government, which was supposed to facilitate its licensing to allow it to start operations.

Revenue collected from the facility is supposed to go to the county government.

However, the slaughterhouse has yet to start operations. Some residents said it had been vandalised.

Some window panes have been damaged and some equipment taken away.

Residents complained that criminals use the building as a hideout.

Patrick Egesa, a resident, accused the county government of neglecting the facility that was meant to benefit the area people.

He appealed to the government to renovate and commission the slaughterhouse. “The abattoir is not serving the purpose for which it was constructed. It is unfortunate that the building is now a hideout for criminals,” said Mr Egesa.

“The facility is not guarded and its doors and are not even locked. Criminals store stolen goods in the slaughterhouse.”

William Barasa said: “The county should launch the project and hand it over to the community which it was meant to serve.”

The Standard has established that the county government, through the veterinary department, was supposed to license the slaughterhouse and give it to the community.

The community was then to appoint officials to manage it and collect revenue for the government.

Ms Toloi, the Nambale Township MCA, said she had set aside Sh1 million from the Ward Development Fund to facilitate the operationalisation of the slaughterhouse.

“It is unfortunate it has taken long to launch the project, but it will be up and running soon. Some renovations will be carried out before it is officially launched,” Toloi said.

County director of veterinary services, Allan Ogendo, said the slaughterhouse would be launched in the current financial year.

“The facility was allocated money in the current financial year and we hope to open it soon,” he said.