Gov't to spend Ksh.25 billion on completion of Isiolo slaughterhouse

Sixteen years after its construction, the Isiolo international abattoir is expected to be completed in the next 18 months with the trade and investment ministry stating that they have received the required funds to finish the project. 

The government terms the facility as a game changer as it will export meat directly to international markets.

“We have international buyers ready to take up the facility space that we will provide and also come and set up their facilities,” said Trade and Investment CS Moses Kuria.

The government received Ksh.42 billion from the Afriexim Bank together with the African Finance Cooperation to fund the project. Ksh.28 billion will go to the abattoir, while the remaining Ksh.14 billion will go towards expanding the Isiolo international airport to accommodate the freighters that will be landing at the airport. 

“I have confirmation from 16 international carriers that will come here to get the meat products that will be processed at the facility,” said Kuria.

For the county of Isiolo, this is expected to change the fortunes of the county with new infrastructure such as roads, a bigger airport and increased employment. 

 “The people of Isiolo and the larger northern part of Kenya will benefit from this as it will allow them to offload their livestock without having Togo as far as Nairobi and Mombasa to sell them,” Isiolo County Governor Ali Guyo.

The government estimates that livestock work Ksh.280 billion was lost last year due to the drought adding that such a facility would have prevented the losses witnessed by the farmers.