District to open temporary abattoirs

EASTERN PROVINCE NGOMA — A month after all slaughterhouses and butcheries were closed in Kibungo, Ngoma district, authorities have announced plans to open up temporary slaughterhouses to help residents buy fresh meat. Angelique Uwamahoro, who is in-charge of health and hygiene in the district, said in an exclusive interview with The New Times, that the move is a response to several complaints from residents on the scarcity of meat. The Rwanda Animal Resource Development Authority (RARDA) late last month closed down all the butcheries and slaughterhouses in Kibungo town citing poor hygienic standards. RARDA is an independent organ, which is supported by the government through the Ministry of Agriculture, to among other things; contribute towards the growth of animal production through the development of appropriate technologies, providing advisory and other extension services to stakeholders in the animal resources sector country-wide. Uwamahoro, explained that all those butcheries and abattoirs which were closed lacked the minimum requirements like water, electricity and operated in poorly built structures near homes and restaurants. “We did not sit back and relax. We want to write to RARDA to grant us a chance to rehabilitate some of those slaughterhouses and butcheries and enable residents get meat,” she said. Following the closure, there has been growing fears of disease outbreak in the area since some residents slaughter animals in bushes and sell untreated meat. “We have been aware of those that have been slaughtering animals in bushes and this is why we are requesting RARDA to allow us for the meantime to rehabilitate the existing slaughterhouse as we build modern ones so as to avoid any disease outbreak,” Uwamahoro said. She added that the district. Ends