Slaughterhouse sacks workers as donkey numbers drop

Goldox export Slaughter house in Mogotio, Baringo county. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Goldox Donkey Slaughterhouse in Mogotio has terminated contracts of more than 200 workers.

On Thursday, the workers found a notice pinned on the wall stating that contracts that expired at the end of last year would not be renewed.

Hilda Songok, a worker, said the company terminated contracts of 50 employees in May last year without giving any reasons.

“The issue started in May last year when we received termination letters despite having signed a contract for one year, which was supposed to end on December 31, 2019. We have been following up the matter with the labour office because the company is yet to pay our dues,” Ms Songok said.

The move triggered a go slow at the company.

“The problem is that they are terminating workers without paying arrears making it hard to make follow-ups after being laid off. We are yet to know the reasons behind the termination of contracts but it seems the company wants to close down or change business,” she added.

The 200-odd workers were ordered to return the uniforms and company items in their possession.

Goldox is one of the four slaughterhouses in Kenya that handles approximately more than 1,000 donkeys in high season, but has since scaled down operations.

The company has reportedly been slaughtering between 300 and 400 donkeys in a week following the dwindling supply. George Ogolla, an official of Goldox was non-committal on the status of the firm.

This comes as advocacy groups and donkey owners warn that trade in the animals is unsustainable and called for ban on export of donkey products.

A report by Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) revealed that Kenya was slaughtering donkeys at a higher rate than the national growth rate of 1.4 per cent.

The report, which also brought on board Brooke East Africa and the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, among other stakeholders, indicated that total donkeys slaughtered in the past three years represented 15 per cent of the current population.

The report noted that increased demand for donkey hide to manufacture Chinese traditional medicine, had led to unregulated slaughter in four abattoir slaughterhouses that were licensed between 2016 and last year.