The quarantine was imposed by the Commissioner for Animal Husbandry Dr Ann Rose Ademun following the outbreak of the disease in the cattle corridor and directed that the quarantine stays in place until the area records zero cases.
The ongoing livestock quarantine sparked by an outbreak of Foot and
Mouth disease outbreak has left farmers in agony and financial
distress.
The quarantine was imposed by the
Commissioner for Animal Husbandry Dr Ann Rose Ademun following the
outbreak of the disease in the cattle corridor and directed that the quarantine stays in place until the area records
zero cases. The other affected districts include Ibanda, Mbarara, Isingiro, Sheema, Kazo and Kiruhura, among others.
Mbarara City Veterinary Officer Dr Moses Amanyire
says they have so far registered
20 active cases from different farms from Bunusya, Rwemigina, Rwenjeru, Nyarubanga, Ruti and Rwakishakizi wards. He says they
are now holding meetings with the city
leadership and sensitizing farmers and the business community on how to manage the situation.
Mbarara City Mayor Robert
Mugabe Kakyebezi asked the government to urgently provide vaccines to enable farmers to tame the disease before it cripples business in the area.
//Cue in; “I
want to…
Cue out…farmers
with drugs.”//
He also
asked the ministry to convene an urgent regional meeting to seek ideas and
solutions from people on the ground on how to fight Food and Mouth Disease.
Amanya warned
those who will be caught smuggling animals and their products that huge penalties
await them as prescribed under the Animal Husbandry Act.
//Cue in; “The
penalty to…
Cue out...The
right manner.”//
Frank
Nabaasa, the Defence Secretary of Mbarara City Abattoir, stated that the
quarantine would affect the upcoming school opening, as it is the main source
of income for those involved in the animal husbandry sector.
He added
that the government should only enforce quarantines in affected areas rather than the
entire city.
Emmanuel
Buma, a cattle trader wants the government to urgently send the vaccines and
provide them with a specific date when the quarantine will be lifted.
//Cue in; “oburweire
bakabire niba…
Cue out…mirimo
batuwe esubi.”//
James Mugume, a cattle farmer in
Ruti ward said he is stranded without money to buy vaccines for his
sick animals and pleaded for government intervention. Lilian Kobusingye, the
deputy City Clerk said since the outbreak of FMD in Mbarara City, the leadership has embarked on enforcement of inspection and monitoring as
they wait for vaccines from the Ministry.
