BY MOUREEN BIIRA
The continued sale of uninspected meat in Kasese continues to pose a serious threat to the health of the livestock in Kasese district.
Dr Yusuf Kibaya, the Kasese district veterinary officer, says there is a lot of uninspected meat especially from Sanga in Kiruhura district that is on markets in various places of Kasese town.
Dr Kibaya says the already worse situation is exacerbated by the cross-border market at the Mpondwe-border point where several cattle from largely the Ankole region are placed for sale to Congolese nationals. He explains that the two situations expose livestock in Kasese to foot and mouth disease and the attendant effects on animal rearing.
This was revealed yesterday during the stakeholder’s engagement on the rollout of the national compulsory foot and mouth disease vaccination campaign that was held at the district head quarters.
According to Dr. Kibaya, the mass vaccination against Foot and Mouth disease is aimed at bringing to an end sudden livestock deaths that are leaving animal farmers in losses.
MrChance Kahindo, the Kasese Municipality Mayor wondered why the people of Kasese to continue to consume uninspected meat especially that brought in from Sanga and made a passionate appeal to all leaders to work together to bring an end to the supply of this meat in the district.
Mr. Eliphaz Muhindi Bukombi, the District chairperson of Kasese urged the communities to embrace the exercise to keep their animals safe from diseases.
Some of the participants at the meeting suggested that the district designates a place to serve as a quarantine to the imported animals arguing that they are those animals that come with the disease.
However, Lt. Maate Magwara, the Deputy RDC in charge of Bukonzo County said they could not afford livestock quarantine due to the big cross-border market.
The Deputy RDC subsequently urged the community to have a mindset change on livestock rearing, saying animals can be reared everywhere and by anyone.
The mass vaccination against foot and mouth disease will target cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. ENDS