NTUNGAMO, UGANDA – A section of councillors in Ntungamo District has accused veterinary authorities of exploiting a Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak to extort money from farmers and traders, rather than focusing on containing the disease.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Tensions erupted during a heated district council session at the district council hall last week, as councillors slammed officials for allegedly neglecting their duties while farmers’ livelihoods hang in the balance.
Ntungamo District is grappling with a rapidly spreading FMD outbreak that has paralyzed livestock markets, disrupted revenue collection, and highlighted tensions between veterinary authorities and farmers who are resisting vaccination efforts.
The outbreak, which allegedly began in Nyakyera Sub-county following the inflow of animals from unknown sources, has persisted for nearly two months.
Following the outbreak, district officials suspended cattle markets and established quarantine checkpoints across the district after consultations with stakeholders from Nyakyera and Rubare Town Council.
In Itojo Sub-county, the situation has escalated as large-scale livestock keepers are openly defying vaccination efforts amid corruption scandals. Some have reportedly threatened the District Veterinary Officer, undermining the entire containment strategy.
District councillors warned that authorities are capitalizing on the crisis to line their pockets, while the livelihoods of those complying with the vaccination program remain at risk.
Responding to the angry councillors, District Veterinary Officer Dr. Yake Basulira confirmed that Foot-and-Mouth first emerged in Nyakyera Sub-county late last year and has since spread to other parts of Rushenyi County.
He stated that despite forming task force teams to implement control measures immediately after laboratory confirmation, the disease remains active in Nyakyera and wider Rushenyi. New hotspots have now been reported in Rukiri I, Rukiri II, and Kaina within the Rwentobo-Rwahi Town Council.
Dr. Basulira added that samples from the newly affected areas have been sent to the National Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Centre for analysis, as the district continues to battle the highly contagious outbreak.
While Dr. Basulira maintained that some measures were put in place immediately after the initial confirmation of the outbreak, councillors on the ground argue that enforcement has been inconsistent and tainted by corruption.
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