The Kisumu County government has ordered the closure of all unlicensed slaughterhouses within the county, as a way of ensuring food hygiene prevails.
County Public Health Director Osborne Odero said only Mamboleo Slaughterhouse will remain open, since it is the only qualified abattoir in the county.
He said the move aims at ensuring meat is prepared in a healthy environment, before being taken to the consumer.
"With Christmas and New Year festivities upon us, there is increased demand for meat and we have to guarantee high hygienic standards here," he said in an interview with Standard.
He noted that the Mamboleo Slaughterhouse is able to handle the county's slaughter needs, adding that other officers have been brought on board to help abolish the slaughter slabs.
"We have also asked our veterinary counterparts to help us crackdown on illegal slabs and to make sure the meat going to the public market is inspected," added Odero.
On Wednesday, county askaris and health officials conducted raids on slabs in Manyatta, Otonglo and Rabuor, which resulted in the arrest of five suspects.
But the directive that animals be taken to Mamboleo for slaughter has not been received well by butchers, who argued that the other slabs are cheaper and closer to their butcheries.