Rukungiri Veterinary Officer Dismisses Claims of Chloroform Use in Meat

Rukungiri: The public has been urged to remain calm and conduct proper research before believing social media allegations that some butchers use chemicals like chloroform to preserve meat.

Rukungiri District Veterinary Officer, Johnson Ninsiima, made these remarks on July 29, during an interview at his office at the district headquarters. He clarified that such practices are not taking place in Rukungiri.

This follows growing concern after health officials and meat industry leaders raised alarm over contaminated meat being sold in informal markets in Kampala.

During the launch of a hygienic butchery project on July 25 by Ranchers Finest in partnership with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), experts warned about unsafe meat handling and illegal practices in the capital.

The CEO of Ranchers Finest Colin Muyanja, said many vendors in Kampala allegedly use dangerous chemicals like formalin, a substance used to preserve dead bodies to make meat appear fresh. He added that meat is often stored without refrigeration and left exposed to flies, increasing the risk of contamination with bacteria like Salmonella.

However, when our reporter visited the Rukungiri district veterinary office, Ninsiima explained that the situation is different in Rukungiri. He said only a few animals are slaughtered daily and the meat is sold quickly, which removes the need for any chemical preservatives like chloroform.

He further noted that such substances are both expensive and difficult to obtain, making it highly unlikely that local butchers would use them.

Ninsiima reassured the public not to panic over baseless social media claims. He said veterinary inspections and tests in Rukungiri have found no evidence of chemical use in meat preservation.

CUE IN… NINSIIMA RR/ENG.