This archive report was first published on 29 September 2019.
Chinese Donkey Abattoir Sparks Outrage in Turkana ¶
Published on September 29, 2019
A Chinese-owned donkey abattoir in Turkana County has come under fire from local residents, who are protesting over allegations of pollution, animal theft, and labor issues.
The abattoir, operated by Silzha Company Limited, has been accused of selling uninspected donkey meat and enslaving local workers. Residents have also raised concerns over the safety of the meat, with some alleging that the company is exporting rotten meat to unknown destinations.
According to local authorities, the abattoir slaughters an average of 30 donkeys daily and exports the meat to China and other countries. However, workers at the abattoir claim that they have not been paid for several months, with some alleging that they are working without pay.
"Life is becoming hard here because we work with no pay, my family depends on me, my children are at home because of school fees, we are tired of empty promises each and every time," said Lucas Ereman, a production supervisor at the abattoir.
Residents have also raised concerns over the environmental impact of the abattoir, with some alleging that the company is causing pollution in the area. The local area chief, Patrick Lorogoi, has also reported an increase in cases of donkey theft in the area, with some residents suspecting that the Chinese are buying stolen donkeys unknowingly.
The police are investigating the abattoir over allegations of environmental pollution and mistreatment of local workers. However, the company's management has denied the allegations, saying that they export quality donkey meat.
"We package and sell all the meat to our international markets. We don’t want wastage because we buy the donkeys at high prices," said Liu Wenchen, one of the Chinese nationals managing the abattoir.
However, workers at the abattoir have disputed this claim, saying that they are not happy with the manner in which the Chinese are doing the donkey meat business.
"We have reported this matter to relevant government officers but our concerns have fallen on deaf ears," said Geoffrey Lokuruka, a donkey keeper.
