Donkey abattoir to feed export market

Mr Lu Donglin, the proprietor of Goldox Kenya Ltd, a newly established donkey slaughterhouse at Chemongoch in Mogotio, Baringo County shows Journalists facilities in the cold room at the factory on October 14, 2015. Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett has declared Goldox Donkey Abattoir in Baringo County an export slaughterhouse, moving it a step closer to start operations. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH

What you need to know:

  • The Chemongoch abattoir has a capacity to slaughter about 100 donkeys a day with the meat expected to be exported to China.

  • The start of operations is set to create a new revenue stream for farmers who will be supplying the abattoir with the animals.

  • The construction was finished two years ago and only need to complete the process of licensing so that operations can start.

  • The company will also be breeding its own donkeys on a 100-acre piece of land to supplement animals provided by farmers.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett has declared Goldox Donkey Abattoir in Baringo County an export slaughterhouse, moving it a step closer to start operations.

A declaration is the last step before a licence for a slaughter house is issued. Two Chinese nationals Lu Jing and Lu Donglin, are behind the facility set up at a cost of Sh300 million.

“The Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries declares the Goldox (K) Limited Donkey Abattoir an export slaughterhouse for the purposes of these regulations, with effect from the 1st April, 2016,” Mr Bett said in a notice.

The Chemongoch abattoir has a capacity to slaughter about 100 donkeys a day with the meat expected to be exported to China where it is said to be in high demand.

A source close to the project who did not wish to be named, said that slaughterhouse has already received the green-light from the Veterinary Services Department and is only awaiting the final licence and commissioning.

PROCESS OF LICENCING

“Everything is in place. The construction was finished two years ago and now we are looking to complete the process of licensing so that operations can start,” he said.

The start of operations is set to create a new revenue stream for farmers who will be supplying the abattoir with the animals.

The company will also be breeding its own donkeys on a 100-acre piece of land to supplement animals provided by farmers.

“We want to breed our own donkeys so that we don’t deplete the numbers. If we slaughter 100 animals every day and don’t replenish, then we’ll soon run out,” the source said.

The Baringo abattoir will compete with another set up in Maraigushu, Nakuru County by  Mr John Kariuki.