Hoima city gets sh2b slaughterhouse, butchers ordered to vacate condemned facility

HOIMA - Consumers in Hoima, who have long relied on meat from a condemned and unhygienic abattoir, now have reason to hope after the completion of a World Bank-funded modern slaughterhouse.

The facility, constructed at shillings two billion under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) project, was implemented by China Chongqing International Construction Corporation (CICO).

The new slaughterhouse in Kyentale Ward, Hoima city east division, will replace the outdated and unsafe Kiryateete East abattoir, which has operated for over a decade despite being condemned.

The old facility, plagued by poor sanitation, filled with stench, flies, and uncollected blood and dung, has long compromised meat quality.

Butchers ordered to vacate

Hoima City Resident Commissioner Badru Mugabi announced that all butchers must vacate the condemned abattoir and relocate to the modern facility by August 31, 2025. 

At an August 20, 2025, meeting with meat sellers and city leaders, Mugabi emphasised the need to close all informal slaughtering sites citywide to ensure exclusive use of the new facility.

Hoima city mayor Brian Kaboyo praised the development, noting that the old abattoir’s poor conditions had driven customers to buy meat outside the city, hurting local businesses. 

“The new facility’s tarmacked access roads and improved hygiene standards will boost quality and attract more customers,” he said.

Hoima Butchers’ Association chairperson Norman Kimarahona highlighted the economic stakes: “Oil companies have been sourcing meat from Kampala due to our abattoir’s poor hygiene. With the new facility, we can meet their standards and secure lucrative contracts in the oil and gas sector.”

Resident and meat trader Haj Ramadan Mugisa echoed the sentiment: “Many residents avoided meat from the old abattoir for fear of contamination. This new facility will revive our business and improve public health.”

The modern slaughterhouse includes a livestock collection area, quarantine zones for sick animals, meat storage, and dedicated slaughtering zones.