By Alexender Mugume
Legislators were unhappy on the floor of Parliament yesterday afternoon as they expressed the devastating impacts of the foot and mouth disease (FMD) in mostly the southwestern region that is bordering Tanzania.
The Gomba West MP Robina Rwakoojo said that the ruthless animal disease threatening livestock was spreading like a ‘wildfire’.
Rwakoojo said livestock farmers cannot sell milk or their animals and now they have resorted to asking MPs school fees.
The revelations were made during a plenary session at Parliament where Frank Tumwebaze, the agriculture minister was making a statement on how the government was addressing the pressing issue.
Kashari South County MP Nathan Itungo who expressed disappointment with the presentation, urged the agriculture ministry to develop quick solutions to tackle FMD and calm concerns of animal owners as farmers are suffering in this school fees period since it is the source of living.
Deputy Speaker and Mitooma MP, Thomas Tayebwa said this business of the government not having the vaccines and yet they can’t allow the farmers to buy yet their cows are dying should stop.
In response to some of the queries, Tumwebaze said the vaccines the Algerians have are of a different strain and that’s why the government didn’t go ahead to purchase the possible cure as they were trying to find out what type of vaccines can treat the Ugandan cattle breeds.
According to Tumwebaze, the 10 million doses shall be at free distribution among the 36 districts, “this quarantine is to avoid spread of the disease.”
