Residents of Busia town in Kenya are being fed on beef from stolen animals from across the border Uganda, The Weekly Vision has established. Thieves from both Kenya and Uganda steal animals then sell them to a cartel which operates several slaughterhouses in town. The thieves scour villages around and in the interiors of Busia town which straddles across the Kenya – Kenya Uganda border stealing the animals from peoples’ homes in the dead of the night and deliver the animals in the wee hours of the morning for slaughter.
A cartel which operates butcheries in town usually buys each delivered animal for between Kshs. 10, 000 to 12,000. The thieves usually target big bulls and heifers which if sold on an open market would fetch between Kshs. 35,000 and 60,000. The cartel usually gives out a deposit of Kshs. 5000 or 6000 for an animal depending on the size of the animal; they come back later for the balance after the animal has been sold to butchers.
Butchery operators come from other smaller towns in the county, like Korinda, Mundika, Bugeng’i, Amerikwai, Alupe, Ochude, come to buy the beef for selling to hotels, educational institutions and medical facilities. Our investigative team also established that some Busia County Government employees in charge of slaughterhouse led by one Musohe are behind the cartel.
Busia County Commissioner Samwel Ojwang’ confirmed to The Weekly Vision of the existence of the highly secretive activities being carried out by the cartel saying that there have been arrests and prosecutions in the past but currently the matter was under investigations by the County Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Officers.
Mr. Ojwang’ said: “Since it is a matter under active investigation I cannot tell you much because if I do the investigations can be messed and the criminals involved will be able to escape from prosecution. What is clear is the fact that the practice is abetting cattle stealing activities in the county. We are also working with our counterparts in Uganda to end the practice.”
The latest incident happened last week when a thief who had stolen a neighbor’s bull was cornered at Busia town’s Burumba estate next to the slaughterhouse, he was beaten to death by irate members of the public before he could deliver the animal to the slaughterhouse, the animal had been stolen from Bukesa village less than three kilometres from Busia the town.
A DCI officer who is involved in the investigations whose name cannot be revealed because of the sensitivity of the matter said slaughterhouse put down an average of 12 animals daily, but this peaks to 20 – 30 animals a day during festive days like Easter, Christmas and Idd-ul-fitr. “We suspect that a majority of these animals are stolen and those involved are taking home millions of shillings daily.
