Govt moots heavy penalty against unauthorised movement of livestock

District Veterinary officers receive FMD vaccines from Agriculture Minister, Frank Tumwebaze and State Minister  for animal industry, Lt Col (Rtd) Bright Rwamirama at MAAIF head offices in Entebbe on February 25, 2022. Photo/Eve Muganga

What you need to know:

  • One of the proposals include seven-year jail term and a fine against those convicted of theft of animals.

Government plans to introduce heavy penalties against unauthorized movement of livestock, in a bid to contain the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in the country and reduce theft cases, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) officials have revealed. 
One of the proposals include seven-year jail term and a fine against those convicted of theft of animals.

“There’s a proposal we have and we shall present it to cabinet first. We don’t have enough money from the treasury for buying vaccines to do the mandatory periodic inoculation against FMD. So we are proposing that let there be a punitive levy on people who move animals illegally because illegal movement of animals is responsible for the spread of FMD. We need to consider this because that’s how we shall get money from those offending us and spreading diseases. The money from such levy will be used to buy the drugs,” said Mr Frank Tumwebaze, the Minister of Agriculture, animal industry and fisheries. 
He made the remarks at the ministry offices in Entebbe on Friday while releasing 634,000 doses of FMD vaccine worth Shs3 billion, to the District Veterinary Officers from the affected areass.

The district veterinary officers also received veterinary supplies, including vaccination campaign kits against FMD.
The districts that received FMD vaccine doses include Moroto, Rwampara, Kassanda, Jinja, Kiruhura, Isingiro among others.
“Procuring FMD vaccines for all the animals in the country may require about Shs500 billion but because we don’t have this money, we normally procure few doses to vaccinate animals in districts affected with FMD and also those neighboring the hotspots for the disease at no charge,” he added.

The minister of state for animal industry, Lt Col (Rtd) Bright Rwamirama said illegal movement of animals has affected Uganda’s market.
”As ministry we have to make sure that we enforce this law so that whoever is caught pays huge sums of money. Even those who steal cows will face seven years imprisonment and will also pay fines,” he said. 
Uganda is implementing a risk-based vaccination strategy that focuses on vaccination of livestock susceptible to FMD in high risk areas.