Lukwago, Council throw out report on meat preserving chemicals
The kampala Capital City authority council has thrown out a public health committee report on the alleged chemicals used to preserve meat.
On Friday, the report was presented before the council and on Monday, the council scrutinized the findings.
During the review, the council meeting chaired by the Lord mayor Elias Lukwago told the committee
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led by the Acting deputy director public health in KCCA, Sam Sserunkuuma that the information provided was insufficient.
" The butchers could have used the chemicals without knowledge of how harmful they can be,"Lukwago said.
Lukwago cited that the report doesn't explain the consequences of using chemicals on meat to the public and questioned if they had been sensitised.
In response to Lukwago's claims of the public lacking knowledge on the dangers of the chemicals, the Acting Director Public health in KCCA Dr. Daniel Okello said they had sensitised every stakeholder.
" We conducted 5 sensitisation meetings with the meat traders about the dangers of using the insecticides in the meat sector," Dr. Okello said.
Citing the KCCA Act, Sserunkuma said fresh meat should be free of any drugs.
"We are in a business of life and death. I am not going to allow one or two people to die that I am still doing negotiations, " Sserunkuuma said .
According to the report, 29 butcheries were closed after they were found with chemicals (Tsunami) in their premises and 157kgs of meat were impounded during the operation.
The council has ordered the committee to do a thorough investigation on; The effects of the chemicals on human beings and mechanisms that can be used by butchers to preserve meat and avoid flies.
However Some councillors led by Bruhan Byaruhanga of Kyambogo asked KCCA to close all butcheries until investigations are fully conducted .
On Thursday , six butchers were charged and sentenced to eight months in prison by City Hall magistrates court for using dangerous chemicals to preserve meat.
Last week, the butchers under their umbrella Kampala butchers and traders association(KABUTA) demanded an apology from the KCCA for tarnishing their business.
