Protests over shut abattoirs
Police officers search for protesters who had barricaded a road at Dagoretti in Nairobi Thursday after five slaughterhouses were closed for failing to comply with hygiene standards. Photo/CHRIS OJOW
A disused Administration Police post was set on fire by youths protesting at the closure of five slaughterhouses in Dagoretti Market, Nairobi.
Another man committed suicide saying the decision to close down the slaughterhouses had robbed him of a job.
The man identified as Kimani Mbugua, used to hawk boiled eggs at the market but there was no business for him yesterday. His customers stayed away after the slaughterhouses were closed.
Investigating case
Witnessses said that Mbugua and his family had been displaced from their Molo home during the post-election violence.
Police said they were investigating the case.
The officers also said the security situation was still tense. However, no one was arrested over the protests.
Earlier in the day, youths lit bonfires in the middle of the road leading to the slaughterhouses and had threatened to stone the nearby Dagoretti police post. But more police officers were sent to the area to quell the protests.
The youths said the move by the National Environmental Management Authourity had denied them jobs and accused the Government of punishing them.
“This is where we get our meals. Now that there is nothing to do, where do you expect us to derive our living from?” asked Mr James Nderitu.
The National Environment Management Authority ordered the closure of five abattoirs on Wednesday. Those affected by the directive included Dagoretti, Mumu, Thiani, Nyonjoro and Nyongara.
Three-month notice
Nema director-general Muusya Mwinzi said the slaughterhouses had contravened environmental regulations.
The owners were given a three-month notice in May to comply with six conditions. They were asked to stop discharging effluent into the nearby river; restore and rehabilitate any degraded environment and apply for an effluent discharge and relevant waste management licenses.
The owners were required to submit a letter of commitment to Nema showing their compliance with requirements after which they were to call environmental inspectors to ascertain that the conditions had been met.
But when the inspectors visited the abattoirs on Wednesday, the situation had not improved.
