Butchers cry foul as people shun beef
The crackdown has seen at least six butchers prosecuted and sent to Luzira for eight months. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
- But butchers warned that they would sue KCCA if it is found out that they are not using chemicals used to treat dead bodies to preserve meat.
- Dr Emiliano Ahimbisibwe told the butchers that KCCA is still waiting for the results of the samples that were sent to the Government Analytical Laboratory.
KAMPALA. Butchers have expressed concern over accusations that they are using chemicals to preserve meat, saying this has since driven them out of business since their clients no longer buy meat, causing them financial losses.
In a crisis meeting which was convened by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago at City Hall yesterday, butchers explained that the meat boycott by their clients could see majority of them lose their businesses.
“Ever since media published stories that some of our colleagues were using poisonous drugs to preserve meat, many people have abandoned us and we are now making losses because people are telling us that they can’t consume poisonous meat,” said Mr Peter Mugomba from Kalerwe abattoir.
However, he couldn’t explain the magnitude of the financial loss, saying they are still computing how much they lost.
Mr Mugomba noted that although they have refuted media reports, majority of their clients aren’t convinced.
Mr Abel Mugumba, the chairperson of city abattoirs association, said there could be some people with ill intentions who are interested in taking over their job and are using unscrupulous drugs with an intention of kicking them out of the trade.
“We have made losses because of these falsehoods in the media. We have been in this industry for decades and if we were using poisonous drugs to preserve meat, many people would be dead by now,” he said.
The meeting, which was attended by butchers from different slaughter houses and butcheries, KCCA technical team and some officials from the ministry of Health, sought to examine the management of meat in the city as per the 2006 KCC meat ordinance.
Since this month started, there has been a crackdown on butcheries by KCCA following media reports that some butchers are allegedly using chemicals to preserve meat.
The crackdown has seen at least six butchers prosecuted and sent to Luzira for eight months.
Mr Lukwago noted that the food business needs to be given utmost attention because it concerns the lives of the people.
“There is an ongoing crackdown on butcheries but not all of them use chemicals to preserve meat,” he said.
But butchers warned that they would sue KCCA if it is found out that they are not using chemicals used to treat dead bodies to preserve meat.
Dr Emiliano Ahimbisibwe told the butchers that KCCA is still waiting for the results of the samples that were sent to the Government Analytical Laboratory.
REPORT REJECTED
On Monday, KCCA technical and political wing were embroiled in a heated debate over the management and operations of city butcheries.
The debate was sparked by a report on the enforcement of the 2006 KCCA Ordinance which was presented by KCCA acting director of public health, Dr Daniel Okello.
The report highlighted the status of the operations of butcheries in Kampala and what KCCA is doing to contain the contamination of meat.
However, Mr Lukwago and authority councillors punched holes in the report, saying it is wanting. They tasked Dr Okello to do another report and present it to KCCA council next Thursday.
