Over 100 Kenya Meat Commission employees are set to lose jobs under the ongoing modernization plan. KMC Managing Commissioner Joseph Learamo says they hope the layoffs will result to profitability for the troubled meat processor.
Learamo said the state-owned firm previously had 420 employees which were now reduced to 301 because the wage bill was unsustainable.
He has however said that the affected 119 staff sent home will be compensated.
KMC Chairman Josiah Taraya Ole Kores said they are in the process of persuading all government institutions to buy meat products from KMC in a bid to generate more funds to sustain it's operations.
Principal Secretary State Department of Livestock Andrew Tuimur said that the government is committed to boosting the productivity of the livestock sector which he said accounts for 12 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.
He urged the county governments to embrace an integrated initiative in the fight against livestock diseases that pose devastating economic impact. He said the Athi-River based factory has the capacity to slaughter 1,000 large animals and 1,500 small ones daily.