Group defies ban, slaughters 8 cows
Mr Hillary Onek, the Internal Affairs minister speaks at the celebrations at Gulu Primary School on New Year’s Eve.
What you need to know:
Disobedience. Members of the Sacco slaughtered eight cattle despite a current ban on beef in Gulu due to disease.
A cross section of leaders in Gulu District have criticised a decision by a Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (Sacco) to slaughter several head of cattle at an end-of-year-party despite an existing quarantine over the outbreak of contagious Bovine Pleuro-pneumonia disease.
On New Year’s Eve, UMFO, a Sacco with more than 10,000 members, had an end of year party where they defied the ban and slaughtered eight head of cattle allegedly ferried from Oyam District for the celebration held at Gulu Primary School grounds.
Mr Alfred Oluba, the chair of Layibi Division in Gulu Municipality, said allowing the consumption of beef in the district is illegal because the six months quarantine is still in place.
“Why should some people be allowed to slaughter cows during the festive season while others are denied? The law must apply uniformly throughout the district,” Mr Oluba said.
But Dr Tony Aliro, the district veterinary officer, denied that his office granted permission for the group to slaughter the animals, adding that the animals were illegally slaughtered and could attract some punitive measures.
Dr Aliro said he reported the case to police on the December 31.
The acting district police commander, Mr Aquinas Oyet, confirmed to this newspaper that the case had been filed with them and that they would institute an investigation into the matter.
