Hoima butchers celebrate commissioning of Shs 5bln slaughterhouse

HOIMA CITY, September 18, 2025 — Butchers, and consumers in Hoima City are celebrating the commissioning of a new state-of-the-art slaughterhouse, valued at Shs 5 billion, which promises to significantly improve hygiene and meat quality in the city.

The new facility, located in Kyentale Ward, Hoima East Division, replaces the condemned old abattoir in Kiryateete East. The older facility had long been criticised for poor hygiene and substandard conditions such as persistent stench, blood, dung, and swarms of flies.

Norman Kimarahona, the Chairperson of butcher operators in Hoima City expressed relief at the new development. He noted that the unhygienic conditions at the Kiryateete facility had led to a significant drop in meat sales, as many customers avoided meat prepared in such an environment.

“We couldn’t supply meat to the oil and gas companies because of the poor standards. These companies require high-quality meat, which we couldn’t provide using the old facility,” said Kimarahona. “Now, with the new slaughterhouse, we’re optimistic that the quality will improve, and we can secure contracts in the oil and gas sector.”

Godfrey Kutegeka, a butcher at Hoima Central Market, echoed similar sentiments, saying that poor hygiene had been one of the biggest challenges facing the meat business in the city. He thanked the government for investing in the new facility, noting that it would restore public confidence in locally sourced meat.

“Residents had stopped buying meat from the old abattoir due to contamination fears. This new facility will boost our business and restore customer trust,” Kutegeka added.

Joseph Tumuboine, a Hoima City resident and businessman, described the new slaughterhouse as a much-needed relief for both traders and consumers, praising the initiative for addressing longstanding health concerns.

Hoima City Mayor Brian Kaboyo revealed that the construction began in 2023, funded by the World Bank through the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development [USMID] programme. The project was implemented by China Chongqing International Construction Corporation [CICO].

According to Mayor Kaboyo, Shs 2 billion was allocated to the construction of the slaughterhouse, while an additional Sh3 billion was invested in tarmacking roads leading to the facility.

“We’re excited about this milestone. Traders had been suffering losses as customers preferred to buy meat from outside the city due to the poor condition of the Kiryateete abattoir,” said Kaboyo.

“All the roads leading to the new facility have now been paved, and we expect all butchers in the city to begin operating from the modern slaughterhouse. This will significantly improve the quality of meat supplied in Hoima.”

He further noted that the new abattoir positions Hoima City to benefit from economic opportunities in the oil and gas industry.

“This modern facility brings development. Our business community has been losing out on key opportunities, especially in supplying meat to the oil sector. Now, with improved standards, we believe this will be a great advantage for our meat traders,” he added.

https://thecooperator.news/lira-pig-cooperative-in-need-of-money-for-slaughterhouse/

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