By Andrew Irumba
Two ministers
clashing over the enforcement of a quarantine that was recently announced by
the ministry of agriculture following an
outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease in some parts of the country.
Gen. Elly
Tumwine, the minister for security is clashing with Joy Kafura Kabatasi, the minister
for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Ministry-MAIF.
It should be
noted that although primarily animal health and their related issues fall under
the Agriculture Ministry, government mandated the same Ministry to work hand in
hand with the Security Ministry because of the transboundary spread of diseases
and enforcement of quarantines.
However, instead
of working in liaison, the two ministries seem to be often clashing and
officials are acting in a manner that makes them appear as if they are
operating parallel to each other.
Spy Uganda has
learnt Kabasti blames Gen. Tumwine of being ‘arrogant and too harsh’ while
enforcing the cattle quarantine.
Following the
deadly FMD outbreak government imposed quarantines in the cattle corridor in order to control the
movement of diseased animals to uninfected areas, which will worsen the spread
of the diseases.
However, whereas
the ban is working in some areas, authorities in the Agriculture and security
ministries are disagreeing on the quarantine enforcement tactics amid a fresh
outbreak in the cattle corridor.
Kabasti, during a
stakeholders’ meeting hosted by Mpigi district last year, agreed that the quarantine
be reduced to specific sub-counties where the disease has been reported, instead
of the entire district or sub-region, a proposal their counterparts from the
security ministry have since failed to observe while enforcing the quarantine.
She said that “All
what the officers from the Security ministry have on their mind is stopping
movement of all animals, regardless of where they are coming from, which is
jeopardizing the animal industry and causing more loses to herders who are
already strained by the cattle diseases.”
She noted that “In
many incidents, officers acting on orders of Gen Tumwine have mistreated
livestock farmers, even those living in disease free areas by impounding their
cattle even when they present valid permits.”
However, Gen.
Tumwine, who accepted to have been harsh while enforcing the quarantine, said he
is soon tightening the grip to become harsher so as to fight FMD and kick it
out of Uganda. (Ambien online)
He said that through
their operations they helped to fight the disease, which saw quarantines lifted
in some areas but corrupt officials from the Agriculture Ministry, some
district leaders and at times officers within security circles adamantly
started moving diseased animals creating a fresh outbreak.
He also revealed that
they have put in place strategies to mete out harsher punishments to whoever
will fail to adhere to the quarantine. He instead advised farmers to report any
cases of FMD outbreaks at their farms to the nearest veterinary officers.
