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Kazo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kazo district Foot and Mouth disease taskforce and cattle farmers want the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries to ease the quarantine regulations on sub-counties that are disease free. Government imposed total livestock quarantine in Kazo district in January following the outbreak of the Foot and Mouth disease.
The district has since been implementing control measures that include the ban on the sale of cattle and their products. Ruth Kashaka, the Kazo Resident District Commissioner who also chairs the FMD taskforce says that they have drafted more measures that farmers will have to follow, and if adhered to, it will lead to the easing of the quarantine regulations.
She says if they receive what they asked from the government including vaccines and a patrol vehicle together with the current measures, they will defeat FMD. According to Kashaka, the disease is currently prevalent in 21 farms in five of the ten sub counties in the district.
She says that as the taskforce, they agreed to have thirty days of intensive monitoring and enforcement, adding that they have often written to the ministry updating them on the control measures and the current status of the disease and hopefully, they will agree to ease the restrictions.
Rev. Samuel Mugisha, the Kazo district chairperson LC V says unlike Kyampagara, Kazo town council, Rwemikoma, Buhunga and Kazo sub-counties that still have foot and mouth disease, other sub-counties like Buremba, Engari, Nkungu, Kanoni, and Migina have not registered any new case.
Dan Muramira, a farmer appeals to the government to consider opening the sale of cattle in sub-counties that are FMD free and restrict the sales on personal farms.
Peter Taremwa, a farmer from Burunga village says that easing the quarantine especially in sub-counties that are FMD free will help farmers cater for their daily livelihood since they are affected by the lockdown and quarantine.
Dr. Ronald Kiyemba, the Kazo District Veterinary Officer says that they have not registered any new cases in the last 30 days and this is one sign that Foot and Mouth disease is being defeated in the district. Some of the new guidelines issued for the sub-counties that are disease free are that the cattle markets remain closed.
However, the selling and buying of livestock will continue on private farms with disinfection points and spray pumps for both humans and trucks. The movement of livestock for breeding is prohibited and veterinary officers will only allow transportation of cattle for slaughter from non-affected farms among others.
Last week, the State Minister of Agriculture, Bright Rwamirama said government will start delivering vaccines, saying the most affected areas will get the first priority.
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