Jackson Lakor, the Gulu District Production Officer says that the vaccines from the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries will target cattle in the most affected areas in Palaro and Awach Sub –Counties. He says the vaccination exercise shall commence on Wednesday.
David Bwizire, a cattle keeper in Buseruka Sub County, says their children have been chased from school for defaulting on fees because they cant sell their animals to earn some cash.
Jude Kaginda, the Sembabule district Finance Secretary, says they have been performing poorly in local revenue collection over the last two years translating to about 43 percent. He says besides individual losses suffered by livestock farmers resulting from FMD, the district budget was equally affected by the quarantine.
According to Namukasa, they have been pleading with President, Yoweri Museveni to intervene and instruct the line Ministry to lift the ban in vain. The herdsmen who claim to be supporters of the ruling National Resistance Movement NRM, have threatened to quit the Party and join the opposition if their concern is not addressed.
The ban was announced last year after 138 head of cattle tested positive for Foot and Mouth Disease FMD, a severe and highly contagious viral livestock infection. The disease affects cattle and swine as well as sheep, goats, and other cloven-hoofed ruminants.
Dr. Halid Kirunda, the Mbarara Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute, says the FMD outbreak has taken a huge toll on the livestock sector. He says the FMD disease has claimed animals valued at over Shillings 250billion since it broke out.
Ssekandi says that they have deployed sub county veterinary and Police officers among others to enforce the quarantine. He says the district has secured 5000 doses of vaccines from the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Ministry to vaccinate the animals but the doses are insufficient.
The postponement of the livestock show came only a few hours after the Agriculture Ministry announced the suspension of about eight livestock markets in Bugisu following the breakout of the foot and mouth disease.
Resident of Isingiro on Monday raided a check point mounted by the police at Kagogo in Ruborogota Sub County accusing the officers of using it to extort money from locals. Ruborogota Local council three chairperson Robert Seguya says that the police check-point had been put in place to restrict the movement of livestock at the time when the district was under a quarantine due to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease.
According to Dr. Ntume, the disease is still prevalent in some animals in Kayira village believed to have originated from Kalisizo in Rakai district. He assured residents that the meat on the market is safe for human consumption, saying it has been inspected approved by the department for sale.
Donozio Kibanda, the Birere Sub county LC V councilor, accuses the Veterinary Department of making the pronouncement without any scientific proof. He says the department should be in position to present communication from the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Ministries on the quarantine.
Dr. Tony Aliro, the Gulu district veterinary officer, says an estimated 8,000 cows most at risk of contracting the disease will be vaccinated in three parishes making up Patiko Sub County.
James Ongu Elim, the Apac District Veterinary Officer says they rolled out the mass vaccination exercise following the outbreak of the Foot and Mouth Disease in Ibuje and Akokoro sub counties in June this year.
Nakasongola District Veterinary department has imposed a quarantine on cattle and its products following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease in the district.
According to Ongu, veterinary officials are already on the ground to establish the exact number of animals affected by the disease in preparation for a mass vaccination exercise.
James Kamukama, a dairy farmer and cattle trader in Endinzi Sub County says the Agriculture ministry set up the market without consulting them yet they have another market in Kamwema close to the border with Tanzania adding that, there was no need for another market
