SOME meat traders in Dar es Salaam have expressed their
disappointment over what they described as the failure of the Dar es Salaam
City Council to fulfill its long standing promise of constructing a modern
abattoir in order to enable them conduct slaughter activities in hygienic
environment. Speaking in an exclusive interview early this week in Dar es
Salaam meat traders said that, they are surprised to see no sign of
construction is being undertaken ever since the promise was made by the city authorities
and instead continues to slaughter their cows in dilapidated abattoirs. The call by the meat traders has echoed when
contacted by this paper with a view to find out their way forward amid reported
news of filthy surrounding the old abattoir in which they operate located at
Mazizini area in Ukonga within Ilala Municipal Council that made the government
to suspend its operation and resumed after one week’s time. The Mazizini
abattoir being the oldest facility was designed to serve the Dar es Salaam
residents whose population by then was approximately less than 1 million people
was built in 1972 and designed to accommodate 50 cows per day compared to
currently 300. In recent years, the
facility has been facing eminent closure for a number of times due to filthy
surrounding its compound which primarily is due to the increased number of cows
being slaughtered per day which do not match with the available infrastructure.
Samwel Mkunda a meat trader said that, health environment in most abattoirs
found in the city is due to the increased number of cows accommodated compared
in the past as such facilities were designed to accommodate fewer cows than as
it is now. In view of this, he has therefore asked for quick investments so as
to help cater for the need as such areas needs to undergo expansion to increase
infrastructural upgrades in order to cope with the increased demand. However,
he said adding that, otherwise the situation would become worse as the
population increases. “filthy would
continue to dominate in these abattoirs as there is no strict supervision work
being carried by the authorities concerned” he said while asking the government
to look for strategic investors to carry on the work. The Chairman of the Union of meat sellers in Dar es Salaam,
popularly known by its Kiswahili acronym ‘UWANJU’ Mr. Clement Malijo said that,
it’s high time to have a modern facility for a slaughter house in the city of
Dar es Salaam bearing in mind the fact that it is the centre of the country’s
business with many foreign dignitaries of various levels. Another meat
trader Ezekiel Chilongo wondered and said that, it’s really a shame to notice
that, over 50 years now since independence time, Dar es Salaam the main
commercial capital city once known as the Haven
of Peace is supplied with cow meat being slaughtered in dilapidated
abattoirs which are equipped with poor facilities that do not meet
international standards. He has however appealed to the government to ward off
such a shameful scenario in order to match with the current global
technological changes and has appealed to the authorities concerned to look for
a strategic investor who would construct a modern abattoir if the government
has failed to do so.
Just a week after the
government closed down the Ukonga Mazizini abattoir for operating in unhygienic
conditions, traders shifted their operation to the nearby Vingunguti slaughter house
which according to the supervisor Dr Juma Nganyangi, the area could not
accommodate the number of cows slaughtered thus worsening its already filthy
environment. Earlier reports by this paper revealed mid this week that, slaughtering
and skinning work at the abattoir was being done in large area used as car parking
by people coming to pick up meat at the abattoir, this is because of the fact
that spaces available inside were full. Ukonga
Mazizini abattoir was closed down by the minister of State in the Vice
President’s Office (Environment), Dr Terezya Huvisa for operating in unhygienic
conditions an aspect that posed a serious health hazards and threat to meat
consumers in the city of Dar es Salaam. The abattoir was later ordered open to
resume its operation on Tuesday this week. It can be recalled that, fourteen
years ago, the defunct Dar es Salaam City Commission (DCC) which was charged
with revitalizing various cities’ economic and social development activities
had put in its long term strategic plans to construct a modern slaughter house whose
implementation up to now is not yet in place. Plans by the DCC had some significance
to cope with the growing trend of the population which currently is estimated
to be about 4.5 million people living in Dar es Salaam city and its surrounding
suburbs, also to have quality meat being supplied in hygienic manner. The DCC’s
initiated plans under the chairmanship of Charles Keenja as a principal architect
behind the move seems to be faltering and the successors of the DCC which
changed its operations in early 2000 and became Dar es Salaam City Council controlling
the three Municipal councils of Ilala, Temeke and Kinondoni seemed to have put
the plans in drawing boards. For the last two weeks a follow up was made on the
project to see of its implementation as per the program set since it was
announced over a decade ago, but virtually discovered that the whole plan has
been put out of the budget due to financial squeeze. The building was initially planned to be constructed
near Kiltex industrial premises site along the road to Pugu Auction market at
Gongo La Mboto on the city’s outskirts, and would require huge investment of
money on its completion. However, efforts to contact the Director of Ilala
Municipal Council, Mwendahasara Maganga in his office early this week for comments
proved futile, but his close aid who preferred anonymity said in an exclusive
interview that, the council is now looking for a strategic investor who would
build the abattoir as the municipal council is no longer able to afford the
highly expensive costs for a modern abattoir. He said the Municipal Council has set aside special
areas which have been designed for the allocation of the abattoir for such an
investment. He
named the areas as Kitunda, Chanika and anywhere else within Ilala district
which could be more convenient for the allocation of such a modern facility.
Contacted for comments on the investment matters, the Executive Director of
Tanzania Investment Centre Juliet Kairuki said last week in Dar es Salaam that,
among the areas which is not properly invested is on modern abattoirs which she
said have more investment opportunities in the country. She said in an
exclusive interview that, her centre is looking now and then at least to get strategic
investors in this area for the city of Dar es Salaam so as to help meat traders
in the city to run smoothly with their daily operational activities. Currently Tanzania has
one modern abattoir in Arusha city which was built in collaboration with the
British government in mid 1990s. In Dar es Salaam, other city's abattoirs which
are privately owned are located in areas of Kimara, Mbagala and Tegeta suburb.
The only abattoir owned by the government is the one located at Vingunguti
suburb.
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