Rwamirama instructed for a total quarantine restriction for livestock and all related products for a period running for 14 days, to allow for a comprehensive vaccination exercise against Foot and Mouth Disease-FMD virus, after which an assessment will be conducted for possible opening of all markets.
The impact of the dry season has not spared residents in the four divisions of Bardege, Layibi, Laroo and Pece in Gulu Municipality and areas in the outskirts. Several taps have already run dry forcing residents to flock available boreholes with long queues to fetch water.
Ninsiima says that they are in the process of collecting samples from the affected pigs for examination at the animal laboratory in Entebbe for confirmation.
Sam Kigula, the chairperson of Lake Kyoga Integrated Management Organization, an umbrella organization for all districts sharing the lake, explains that during the review meeting, local leaders asked the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) to lift the ban to enable fishermen to resume fishing for survival.
Edward Tusiime, one of the farmers benefiting from Mubuku Irrigation scheme, says during the dry spell the water is very low. He says the increase of human activities on the upper stream especially sand mining, indicates that the worst is yet to come.
But today the main purpose cannot be achieved as the waters in the river continue to go down.
The campaign is dubbed “Integrated Pests and Weeds Control Approach”, according to Dr. Emmanuel Kalungi Kawoya, the Sembabule District Production Officer.
Wilson Kasana, a dairy farmer from Sanga in Lyantonde district, says closing village coolers would affect them a lot, saying cooperatives pay unfair prices to farmers.
Initial reports indicated that Armed rustlers suspected to have crossed from Kotido district on Friday night raided kiloko itiyo village in Loperebong Sub County and Matakula village in Omiya Pacwa Sub-county and looted 11 animals from local farmers.
However, the legislator accuses Tumwine of enforcing the quarantine to create a monopoly and profiteer from cattle trade with his business associates at the expense of local livestock farmers.
According to local leaders, the armed rustlers whose numbers were not established looted seven cattle from kiloko itiyo village in Loperebong Sub County and four others from Matakula village in Omiya Pacwa Sub-county.
Ssekikubo was arrested on Friday morning from the Lwemiyaga sub-county cattle market in Sembabule district, as the police foiled a protest by herdsmen who were forcefully taking their livestock the cattle market, despite government quarantine on livestock movement.
There are fears that some of the swarms could move further Western into Turkana county, probably by Mid-January 2020, with likely potential and risk that they could spill over into Karamoja, in the North-Eastern region of Uganda. The area shares a border with Turkana County.
Ssekikuubo’s arrest follows a bitter standoff between him and Sembabule district security authorities, whom he accuses of enforcing an unjustifiable quarantine on the sub-counties of Lwemiyaga and Ntuusi despite them being free from Foot and Mouth Disease-FMD.
Samuel Okello, the Amolatar District Entomologist is one of the facilitators training apiary farmers in both districts. He says beekeeping is the easiest way making cash since it allows farmers to engage in other activities to diversify their income.income sources.
According to the District Veterinary Officer of Kotido, Dr Henry Mulondo, up to 80 percent of the livestock in the district could be infected with Foot and Mouth disease due to the high morbidity of the disease.
The most affected Sub Counties are Pawor, Rigbo and Rhino Camp all in Madi Okollo and Uriama in Arua district. Over 200 animals have died since last year of Anthrax and more than 20 people got infected after consuming meat of the dead animals in Arua and Madi Okollo district.
Herdsmen and cattle dealers in Lwemiyaga County are at loggerheads with the district security personnel accusing them of imposing on the area unjustified quarantine, which has affected people’s livelihoods.
The operations started on Sunday, forcing several residents to flee their villages due to fear of being arrested. Some residents have not yet returned to their homes even after the operations in their respective areas and landing sites.
The Project takes over from the Vegetable Oil Development Project, which has been managing palm oil growing on Kalangala’s Main Island Bugala and the outlying islands of Bunyama and Bubembe.
Willy Lugoloobi, the Kalangala District LC V Chairperson concurs with Ssempijja, saying there is need to regulate the operations of the unit instead of halting its operations.
