Jack Byaruhanga, one of the concerned butchers, says the municipality promised to extend safe water to the new abattoir in vain. Byaruhanga says due to lack of safe water, they are forced to wash meat using swampy water, which is a health risk to them and their customers.
Butchers in Kabale municipality have staged a demonstration the failure of the municipal authorities to improve the state of the new abattoir. In January this year, Kabale municipal authorities relocated butchers to a new abattoir at the Central East village in Central division to pave way for the construction of a new market under the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement program – MATIP III.
However, the butchers found the place unfit for business. They staged a demonstration, arguing that the abattoir was poorly built. The municipal authorities promised to improve the abattoir but to date, nothing has been done. On Tuesday, butchers staged a protest and declined to slaughter any animal on grounds that they cannot continue operating from an unhealthy environment.
Jack Byaruhanga, one of the concerned butchers, says the municipality promised to extend safe water to the new abattoir in vain. Byaruhanga says due to lack of safe water, they are forced to wash meat using swampy water, which is a health risk to them and their customers.
//Cue in: “Rufura kabale erimu…
Cue out: …timurabona omushoro.”//
Monday Kikanda, another concerned butcher, accuses the authorities for failure to install doors and windows of the slaughter house as well as deploy security guards. Kikanda also says the authorities have failed to fence off the abattoir to prevent their animals from escaping.
Kikanda says what angered them most is the deployment of anti-riot police at the abattoir when news spread about their protest.
//Cue in: “aha rufura twine…
Cue out:…rufura kifuba.”//
Benon Baguma alias Idi Amin Dada and Andrew Agaba Baragyizi also butchers, say they have never seen an abattoir without water except the one of Kabale Municipality. They are wondering why the Municipal authorities have turned a blind eye to the shoddy work and non-completion of the slaughter house.
The butchers say their strike is aimed at showing the authorities that there is no value for the Shillings 43 million they spent on constructing the abattoir. They wonder why they are receiving poor services yet they pay Shillings 15000 for each cow slaughtered and Shillings 6000 for a goat.
//Cue in: This sit-down…
Cue out: …heavy cows.”//
Rukiga
//Cue in: “nyowe egyi rufura…
Cue out: ….Birabasa kuhanuka.”//
Alex Baingana, the Principal Assistant town clerk for central division tried to calm down the angry butchers in vain. The Kabale Town Clerk, Deo Ndimo declined to comment on the matter, saying that he was locked up in a meeting with physical planners from Ministry of lands.
Emmanuel Sentaro Byamugisha, the Mayor Kabale Municipality also declined to comment on the matter, saying that he was in a meeting with Kabale Resident District Commissioner, Darias Nandiinda. Police was still deployed at the abattoir by the time of publishing this story.
Story by Samuel Amanya
