By REUBEN OLITA
October 23, 2026| Residents of Okuleu village near Amagoro town have endorsed a hides and skins buying and storage facility following a public participation forum that cleared the way for operations to resume after a temporary suspension.
The Busia County Government suspended operations at the facility last week after some residents petitioned over a foul smell allegedly emanating from the premises. The suspension, communicated through a letter signed by Teso North Sub-County Administrator Silas Juma, was meant to allow public participation and establish whether the community supported the project and its location.
The facility, which had operated for about four months, was constructed without public participation—a requirement for projects with potential environmental and public health implications.
Residents Turn Out in Force
On Thursday, October 22, 2026, residents turned out in large numbers for the exercise, held a day before the deadline issued by the Sub-County Administrator. The forum was presided over by officers from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and environmental expert Justus Amayo, who is licensed by the authority to conduct environmental impact assessment sensitisation. National and county government administrators, the investor and other stakeholders attended.
Amayo explained the environmental and regulatory considerations that should precede the establishment of public and private projects, including roads and buildings. He said the hides and skins facility needed appropriate waste management, public health and sanitation measures, occupational safety safeguards and controls on staff exposure to chemicals. He also urged the investor to prioritise local residents when recruiting workers.
Investor Outlines Operations and Future Plans
The investor, Ramadhan Karani, said the facility purchases already dried hides and skins from slaughterhouses in Kakamega, Siaya, Homa Bay, Bungoma and Busia counties. The products are further processed to meet public health standards before being baled and transported in railway containers from Malaba to Nairobi for value addition.
Karani said the facility was the only one of its kind in Western Kenya. After the products are delivered to Malaba railway station, other companies take over the cargo for further processing, including the manufacture of shoes, leather jackets and bags. The containers are secured using customs seals before railway transportation.
“Our work ends after loading into the railway container. Other investors take it over from there to complete the process of value addition,” Karani said.
He disclosed plans to establish a tannery and manufacture shoes and other leather products in Okuleu within the next two to three years, subject to acquiring the necessary machinery from China. The proposed expansion, he said, would create additional employment opportunities for residents. Karani also revealed plans to establish a water project once the business stabilises, saying the investment would support local development and create jobs. He identified potential employment opportunities for a trailer driver, a turn boy and a forklift operator as the business expands.
Investor Acknowledges Public Participation Oversight
Karani admitted that he had not fully understood the environmental regulations governing the establishment of the facility before construction began. He said he subsequently visited NEMA offices in Busia to seek clarification and was advised to conduct public participation before undertaking such a project.
“We were extremely glad by the response of NEMA, which advised that we should have conducted public participation prior to the construction so that the community is made aware of the project that is meant to benefit them,” he said. The investor was given a two-week period to undertake the exercise.
During the forum, Amayo recommended measures to address concerns raised in the petition, particularly the alleged foul smell. These included timely collection of hides and skins, setting limits on how long the products remain in the storage facility, proper preservation using chemicals, adequate ventilation and prompt removal of rejected hides. He also called for appropriate handling and disposal of wastewater to prevent pollution and avoid discharging it onto private land. Amayo said implementing the recommendations would help the community benefit from the investment while minimising environmental and public health risks.
Residents Defend Project Over Jobs and Security
Several residents praised Karani for establishing the facility in Okuleu, saying it had created employment opportunities for young people and helped address insecurity. They claimed that unemployment had contributed to theft, other criminal activities and sand harvesting, which they said had accelerated environmental degradation through gully erosion.
David Inyaa Papa, a local resident who said he was the first person employed at the facility, disputed claims that the project had caused unbearable odour. Papa said he had subsequently brought two of his children from Nairobi to work at the facility. He argued that the employment opportunities provided by the investment had improved the livelihoods of local families.
“I feel that this company should remain here forever,” he said, warning that withdrawing the investment could leave young people idle and expose them to criminal activities. Papa also compared the concerns raised in Okuleu with the odour he recalled experiencing while living near Bata Shoe Company in Limuru in 1981. His remarks reflected the views of residents who supported the project, although the environmental concerns raised in the petition remained subject to the mitigation measures recommended at the forum.
Teacher Patrick Barasa thanked the organisers for convening the public participation exercise and praised the investor for bringing development to what he described as a neglected village. Barasa said several anticipated public projects, including a boarding school, water tank and market, had not materialised. He also complained that Okuleu lacked a chief’s office and had received limited attention from elected leaders.
On environmental concerns, he urged residents to work with the investor to address the odour rather than reject the project outright. Barasa said the availability of electricity in the village had also improved since the investment was established, attributing the development to the investor.
Francis Ikaal, who said he had previously worked in Thika, cited his experience at Bulleys Tanneries, where he recalled a foul smell but said the company provided employment to many people.
Administrators Urge Compliance and Community Support
Okuleu Village Administrator Alex Ekirapa urged Karani and his investment partner, Mohamed Abdi, to comply with government policies and environmental requirements. Ekirapa, who is visually impaired, appealed to residents to support the investment, saying its growth could attract other industries to the area. He also called on prospective investors to consider Okuleu, Malaba, Amagoro and Kocholya as destinations for businesses that could create jobs and wealth.
Busia County Environment Officer Brian Marono welcomed the investment, saying it had the potential to support residents through employment and improved access to water and electricity. Marono encouraged community members to supply the products required by the facility to sustain its operations.
Okuleu Location Chief Patrick Omekede reminded investors to consult local administrators before establishing projects to ensure the government was informed and could provide the necessary protection. He acknowledged that public participation should have been prioritised before construction but urged residents to embrace development initiatives while observing environmental safeguards. The chief encouraged both the investor and the community to implement the recommendations made by NEMA and the environmental expert.
Administrator Says Petition Helped Resolve Concerns
Sub-County Administrator Silas Juma said the public participation exercise had been prompted by a petition from residents who felt they had not been adequately informed about the project. He, however, defended the petitioners, saying they had helped bring the matter to the attention of authorities and ensured the community was consulted.
“Nobody is opposed to development. We are all in agreement, as most of you have alluded to, that we have had an upsurge of crime in the past, sand harvesting and other social ills. Now that this project is here, it will help cure all those negative effects of unemployment,” Juma said. He urged parents to invest in their children’s education, describing it as a key instrument in overcoming poverty.
The public participation forum addressed the concerns that had led to the suspension, with residents expressing support for the investment and environmental mitigation measures being recommended. The lifting of the suspension was reported by the county government, while the investor’s proposed tannery, manufacturing and water projects remain future plans.