This archive report was first published on 25 July 2021.
Located in the heart of Kericho town, the local abattoir has been a subject of concern for residents and local leaders alike. The facility, which processes over 50 animals daily, has been operating in unsanitary conditions, posing a significant risk to public health.
According to statistics from the county public health department, the abattoir handles an average of 12 cattle, 20 goats, and 18 sheep daily. Joseph Siele, the manager of the county's oldest slaughterhouse, revealed that virtually all the meat sold in butcheries in the town and its surroundings comes from this facility.
Residents are now demanding the relocation of the abattoir, citing its proximity to a dumping site, sewage treatment plant, and a polluted stream. The facility's poor condition has been exacerbated by the ongoing rains, which have caused garbage trucks to get stuck in the mud and dump their loads on the road.
When a Sunday Standard reporter visited the abattoir, they found heaps of garbage lining the road, and the compound was overgrown with poison ivy and tall grass. Scavenging birds, stray dogs, and cats had made the slaughterhouse their residence, and the blood tank had caved in months ago, leaving a gaping hole on the ground.
Erick Bett, the Kipchebor MCA, described the situation as absurd, saying, "It was only by God's grace there has not been an outbreak of diseases among the meat lovers. The Kericho slaughterhouse is perhaps the only abattoir located in the filthiest location in the whole country."
