Illegal cattle trade hindering FMD fight in Kiruhura district

Kiruhura, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kiruhura district authorities have said the illegal trade of cattle is derailing the fight against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).

Kiruhura has been under total quarantine since December last year following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease-FMD.

According to the authorities, the cattle trade is done through porous routes that have been created in different parts of the district. These routes are used by the cattle traders to exit the district at night.

Aminadahabu Muhindo, the Kiruhura Resident District Commissioner, also chairperson of the FMD task force says since imposing the ban, the livelihood of farmers and traders has been affected and as a solution, they have resorted to dealing in illegal trade.

He says traders move the cattle at night through some farms that are not affected and take them to markets outside the district that are not under quarantine, which he says is failing the fight against Foot and Mouth disease.

Dan Mukago, the LC V chairperson Kiruhura says that cattle traders have failed to heed to the advice since the dairy farmers were allowed to work.

Fred Kakye, the LC III chairperson Kinoni sub county says that the regulations in place are only affecting cattle traders and farmers in Kiruhura. He says security personnel manning roadblocks are bribed to allow traders to cross with cattle at night.

According to Muhindo, they are planning to allow cattle trade and remove the quarantine in a phased manner. However, he says this will be after meeting leaders and agreeing on the measures to be followed.

Emmanuel Kishe, chairperson of farmers Kiruhura says banning the movement of cattle and sale of their products will not help in the fight against FMD. He wants cattle markets opened up at the village level to end traders and farmers moving long distances to markets.

He says that the government should not wait for the FMD outbreak, but vaccinate the cattle at least every six months.

Last month, the police arrested 12 people for flouting the quarantine regulations. They were found transporting cattle in a lorry at Ahakageti trading centre in Sanga town council.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a viral disease of cloven-hoofed livestock and wildlife, including cattle, goats, swine, sheep and buffalos. It has occurred several times in Uganda since 1953 when it was first confirmed.  It is characterized by fever and blister-like sores on the tongue and lips in the mouth, on the teats and between the hooves.

The disease causes severe production losses, and while the majority of affected animals recover, the disease often leaves them weakened and highly unproductive.

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