Rukungiri Awaits Approval to Reopen Livestock Markets After Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak
Rukungiri: The Commissioner of Animal Health in Uganda, Dr. Anna Rose Ademun, is expected to give clearance for the reopening of livestock markets in Rukungiri District once tests confirm that the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak has been fully contained.
This was revealed by the Rukungiri District Veterinary Officer, Dr. Johnson Ninsiima, during an interview with our reporter on January 9, in his office located in Rukungiri town.
Dr. Ninsiima stated that the disease has been eradicated in the district, with multiple tests showing no new cases. However, the Commissioner’s office in Entebbe must conduct further tests to confirm that livestock in the district are no longer affected before lifting the quarantine and allowing markets to reopen.
In March 2024, the district received vaccines from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Fisheries to immunize healthy animals and prevent the disease from spreading further.
Dr. Ninsiima revealed that the outbreak had severely impacted the district, spreading to nearly all areas and affecting cattle, goats, and sheep. The District Agricultural Department imposed strict measures, including halting animal transportation and closing all livestock markets to curb the spread of the disease.
CUE….DR. JOHNSON ON THE DISEASE // RR
Previously, in December 2024, livestock traders in Rukungiri expressed frustration over the extended quarantine on cattle markets. They argued that the restrictions had negatively impacted their livelihoods, while neighboring districts like Kanungu, Ntungamo, and Mitooma had resumed normal operations.
The traders, including Moses Mitima and Dan, along with their Chairperson of the Rukungiri Mobile Market Traders Association, Deus Ahimbisibwe, lamented that the prolonged closure of the markets had left them unable to earn a living. Many traders rely on the cattle market as their main source of income to cover urgent needs like school fees, debt repayments, and agricultural investments.
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