Trouble in Nakaseke as meat is banned on Christmas

Beef, the favorite sauce for many during the festive season, will not be available for Nakaseke residents. The Nakaseke District Veterinary Office has banned the movement of livestock following the outbreak of the foot and mouth disease.

The quarantine affects Kinoni, Kinyogogga, Ngoma Sub counties and Ngoma town council. It came after 138 cattle tested positive for the foot and mouth disease. Doctor Moses Ssekandi, the Nakaseke District Veterinary Officer, says to contain the spread of the disease, they have closed all meat stalls and cattle loading sites.

Ssekandi says that they have deployed sub county veterinary and Police officers among others to enforce the quarantine. He says the district has secured 5000 doses of vaccines from the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Ministry to vaccinate the animals but the doses are insufficient.

Yonah Kanyomozi Kizza, the Ngoma Sub County LC V councilor, says the quarantine has not only affected beef consumers but pastoralists as well since they can't sell their animals raise money for Christmas. Kanyomozi explains that local leaders have mobilized farmers to engage in mass vaccination but the exercise has been hit by fake vaccines on market.

Kanyomozi says they recently intercepted 500 doses of vaccines, which were contaminated.

Residents have asked the district to lift the quarantine temporarily to allow them get some meat for the festive season. John Musinguzi, a resident of Ngoma Sub County says that he earns a living through from vending milk, saying the quarantine has greatly affected his income.

John Ssemogerere, a resident of Butalangu Sub County says celebrating Christmas without meat on the

However Ignatius Koomu Kiwanuka, the Nakaseke District LC 5 Chairman, says due to the public outcry they have directed sub county veterinary officers to allow selected pastoralists to slaughter animals on their farms for the sell in their communities.

He however, says the selected farmers must produce vaccination certificates of their herd. Koomu says that the district needs more than 150,000 doses of vaccines to fight the foot and mouth disease.

Nakasongola district has also imposed quarantine in selected sub counties over the foot and the mouth disease leaving pastoralists and beef consumers crying foul. The quarantine has already affected local revenue collection in the district crippling service delivery.

According to district estimates, there are over 230,000-300,000 cows in Nakaseke district and over 268,000 cows in Nakasongola.