By George Emuron
BUKEDEA
Authorities in Bukedea district have imposed a quarantine on two sub counties due to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the district.
The affected sub counties are Kamutur and Aminit, all bordering Bulambuli, Napak and Moroto districts.
Movement of livestock and livestock products have been banned with immediate effect.
Mr. James Peter Adok, Aminit local council three chairperson when contacted on phone today 15th, Nov 2022, said about one thousand three hundred cattle are infected with the foot and mouth disease.
He said the quarantine has taken a period of three weeks since it was imposed by the district authorities but no positive response is yet provided by the district.
“The district officials came and took the samples, but no response has been given yet and the number of the infected cattle is increasing,” said Mr. Adok.
Mr. Adok also added that so far a total of five cattle have died in his area within the period of three weeks.
“I want to appeal to the government to look for any possible measure to get the vaccine and help farmers, most of the farmers are affected,” added Adok.
In Kamutur sub county, Jackson Ojekede, the LCIII chairperson said about 5000 cattle are infected in his sub county.
Ojekede said the quarantine was delayed when most of the farmers were affected.
“The district veterinary officer and his team are conducting routine checkup of the cattle but we lack the vaccines,” said Mr. Ojekede.
What to Know
Bukedea district has got the biggest weekly cattle market in Uganda which serves over four countries of South Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania among others.
Ben Angura, the Kabarwa sub county chairperson who is the neighbor to Kamutur Sub County said the cattle traders have resorted to passing to his sub county to connect to the weekly cattle market since the movement of cattle was banned from Kamutur Sub County.
“I want to call upon the district leaders to strengthen the policy, cattle traders have now resorted to pass in my sub county in order to connect to Bukedea, this puts my sub county at risk of contracting the disease”, said Mr. Angura.
Mr. Angura also added that his sub county has over 2,000 cattle but they are not safe at all since quarantine restricts only the movement of cattle but the cattle are drinking from the same points.
Aloysius Bukenya, the acting district veterinary officer said the ban of cattle movement in the two sub counties was to avoid rapid spread of the virus in the district.
“We are yet to compile data for the entire district but as of now, the veterinary officers are on the ground to conduct assessment,” said Dr. Bukenya.
