Kamwenge butcheries closed over foot and mouth disease

KAARO KARUNGI| KAMWENGE – Kamwenge butcheries closed over foot and mouth disease, The Authorities in Kamwenge District have closed butcheries and stopped movement of livestock in an attempt to prevent the spread of the Foot and Mouth Disease from neighbouring districts.

State Minister for Animal Husbandry Bright Rwamiramar then announced that movement on livestock and livestock products into and out of these districts or through to other districts was banned. Restrictions on the movement of livestock were also imposed on another 24 districts including Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso  which are named among the areas at a high risk of an outbreak.

The others include Kalungu,  Masindi, Nakaseke, Kiboga, Kyotera, Koboko, Kiryandongo, Kyankwanzi,  Mbarara, Lyantonde,  Rakai, Nakasongola and Rubirizi. At-risk districts are those bordering national parks as well as those along the transit routes used by livestock traders and exporters.

According to the Kamwenge District Veterinary Officer Dr Paul Mbago, they have taken the decision after learning that the viral disease has already ravaged livestock in the neighbouring districts of Kiruhura, Ibanda and Kazo.

Last week, the government imposed a quarantine on five districts in southwestern Uganda following the new outbreak of foot and mouth disease. The affected districts included Gomba, Isingiro, Kazo, Kiruhura and Sembabule where the disease has been detected in many herds.

One of the butcher in Kamwenge Town Council Mr. Galas Stephen Kiwanuka, has told our Kaaro Karungi reporter Akampa Gerald that closing of the butcheries is a big blow to him since the business has been his only daily source of income.