Mbale traders shun dilapidated abattoir

Authorities are concerned that traders have abandoned Mbale City abattoir, which is dilapidated and in a sorry state.

Sources said in the last five years, traders have been complaining about the state of the abattoir in vain. 

The facility, located in Masada Ward in Industrial City Division, currently lacks running water, toilets, electricity, and a fence. Health officials have even called for its closure, saying it’s putting people’s lives at risk.

When Monitor visited the abattoir at the weekend, our reporter was given access to the facility, but the administrators stopped him from taking pictures. 

The facility was built in the 1960s but since then, no rehabilitation has taken place.
Also, there is poor waste disposal with locals who reside nearby complaining of pollution.

Mr Yusufu Kadidi, a resident of Malukhu ward in the Industrial City Division, said locals are concerned about the wastewater from the facility that currently flows into their homes and gardens.  

Leaders said the situation would be worse if more than 100 animals were being slaughtered daily at the facility as was the case five years ago. Currently, only five animals are slaughtered daily at Mbale City abattoir, with most butchers ferrying animals or meat from villages.

Mr Kadidi was also concerned that meat from outside Mbale City abattoir is not being inspected by the relevant authorities. 

“With the increased cattle theft in the city and neighbouring places, I am sure meat sold at most of the butcheries are stolen animals that are slaughtered at night because it is rare nowadays in Mbale to find meat with a stamp of clearance,” he said.

Mr Joseph Sseleko, a meat dealer in Mbale City, said: “We plan to abandon the abbatoir because we pay Shs3 million to Mbale City Council every month to use this facility,” he said.

Mr Badru Mukasa, the chairperson of the abattoir, said the facility is in dire state.
“The place is dirty. The facility lacks running water, toilets, electricity but we have severally raised our concerns to Mbale City Council. We have not had any satisfactory response...yet they still collect taxes from us,” he said.

The speaker of Industrial City Division Council, Mr Musa Kassajja, said: “Mbale City Abattoir does not slaughter more than five animals a day yet it has the capacity of slaughtering more than 100 every day, ” he said.

He blamed the city council officials for delaying the rehabilitation of the abattoir yet they allegedly received Shs237 million under the Discretional Development Equalisation Grant this financial year.

“Government gave the Shs237m grant to Industrial City Division in the financial year 2023/2024 and the division council allocated part of that money to rehabilitate Mbale City Abattoir and install solar lights on roads that connect to worship places like churches and mosques but we don’t know where the money went. The entire system needs to be revamped,” Mr Kassaija said.

Ms Harriet Kakai, the Mbale City deputy mayor, said there are plans to rehabilitate the abattoir.

“I call upon the meat dealers to be calm. The city has already made the quotations for renovations and putting in all the necessary sanitary facilities to enable the smooth running of the abattoir,” Ms Kakai said.

Mr James Kutosi, the Mbale City public relations officer, said council is also concerned with the current state of the abattoir because it has affected the city’s revenue collection target.

“It’s true the city abattoir is not in a pleasing condition but I want to confirm to you that the council has already had plans to renovate the city abattoir. The delays are there but I call on the people to be vigilant about where they are buying meat,” Mr Kutosi said at the weekend.