NTUNGAMO – Ntungamo District authorities have been urged to intensify Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination following a low vaccination coverage of just 10 percent, with officials warning that quarantine restrictions may not be lifted unless the situation improves.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The call was made during a district FMD control status meeting held on Friday at the Ntungamo District Council Hall, attended by cattle farmers, extension workers, sub-county chiefs, town clerks, technical staff and political leaders.
The State Minister for Animal Husbandry, Hon. Bright Rwamirama, represented by the Acting Commissioner for Animal Health and Production, Dr. James Kakunguru, said Uganda experienced an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease three years ago that affected 46 districts, including Ntungamo in the cattle corridor, leading to quarantine restrictions.
Dr. Kakunguru, delivering the minister’s message, noted that Uganda has over 44 million animals and emphasized that no animal products, including meat, milk and ghee, should be sold from unvaccinated animals in Ntungamo District.
He called upon political and technical leaders to prioritize livestock development and ensure government programmes are implemented down to grassroots communities to control FMD and improve access to markets.
He further reminded district leaders about the 2024 Cabinet-approved policy shift on cost-sharing in FMD vaccination, which requires farmers to contribute 8,000 shillings per cow and 4,000 shillings per sheep, goat or pig during vaccination campaigns conducted twice a year.
Meanwhile, Ntungamo District Chairperson Samuel Mucunguzi Rwakigoba said livestock farmers have suffered significant economic losses, noting that it is almost a year since farmers were not able to freely sell their animals.
Rwakigoba urged cattle keepers to ensure all their animals are vaccinated, explaining that Foot and Mouth Disease also affects Uganda’s access to international meat markets, including Saudi Arabia.
Presenting the district’s FMD control status report as of November 5, 2026, District Production Officer Dr. Yake Basulira recommended maintaining quarantine and livestock movement restrictions for another month while intensifying vaccination in susceptible livestock, particularly in affected and high-risk areas.
Dr. Basulira said the district is targeting at least 80 percent vaccination coverage but expressed concern that the current coverage stands at only 10 percent, warning that vaccination efforts must improve before quarantine restrictions can be lifted.
The most affected sub-counties and town councils include Ngoma, Rwentobo-Rwahi, Rweikiniro, Rubaare, Kayonza and Nyakyera.
The Resident District Commissioner, Miriam Kagaiga Mugisha, called upon all stakeholders, including security agencies, to ensure strict implementation of government directives on FMD control at all levels.
Kagaiga warned that no livestock movement permit would be issued without a valid vaccination card, emphasizing that the measure is intended to strengthen disease control and support Uganda’s ambition of eliminating Foot and Mouth Disease by 2031.
The meeting called for collective responsibility among farmers, political leaders, technical officers and security agencies to strengthen vaccination, enforce quarantine measures and restore livestock trade in Ntungamo District.
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