Police hold cattle
May 19, 2006
THE Police in Mbarara on Wednesday impounded 89 head of cattle believed to have come from areas currently under quarantine.
By Raymond Baguma
THE Police in Mbarara on Wednesday impounded 89 head of cattle believed to have come from areas currently under quarantine.
Veterinary authorities in the region recently imposed a quarantine on cattle movement in Isingiro district, following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease.
The south-western regional Police commander, Taire Idwege, also said the Police were holding the four drivers of the Fuso trucks and an assistant district veterinary officer, who issued the movement permits for the cattle.
Idwege said the trucks were intercepted at an animal check-point on Kaguta Road in Kiruhura district at around 1:00am on Wednesday night.
He said the cattle were being transported for slaughter in Kampala.
Idwege said the traders possessed movement permits that indicated the cattle were from Rwampara and Kashari.
He added, “But we highly suspect the cattle were being transported from Isingiro because the lorries were first sighted parked in Kabingo town, which is in Isingiro.â€
The trucks are registration numbers UAE 289J, UAE 443X, UAF 192Q and UAE 375U.
“We want to prosecute them because it is illegal to move animals at night. It is also illegal to transport animals from an area under quarantine,†Idwege said.
He blamed veterinary officials in the region for conniving with traders and issuing movement permits to transport the cattle from quarantined areas.
“Veterinary officers keep issuing permits but animals are sick. For how long shall Police impound cattle when vets are not doing their work?†he said.
He however said the law was too weak in punishing the culprits, who are fined sh7,000 on conviction.
THE Police in Mbarara on Wednesday impounded 89 head of cattle believed to have come from areas currently under quarantine.
Veterinary authorities in the region recently imposed a quarantine on cattle movement in Isingiro district, following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease.
The south-western regional Police commander, Taire Idwege, also said the Police were holding the four drivers of the Fuso trucks and an assistant district veterinary officer, who issued the movement permits for the cattle.
Idwege said the trucks were intercepted at an animal check-point on Kaguta Road in Kiruhura district at around 1:00am on Wednesday night.
He said the cattle were being transported for slaughter in Kampala.
Idwege said the traders possessed movement permits that indicated the cattle were from Rwampara and Kashari.
He added, “But we highly suspect the cattle were being transported from Isingiro because the lorries were first sighted parked in Kabingo town, which is in Isingiro.â€
The trucks are registration numbers UAE 289J, UAE 443X, UAF 192Q and UAE 375U.
“We want to prosecute them because it is illegal to move animals at night. It is also illegal to transport animals from an area under quarantine,†Idwege said.
He blamed veterinary officials in the region for conniving with traders and issuing movement permits to transport the cattle from quarantined areas.
“Veterinary officers keep issuing permits but animals are sick. For how long shall Police impound cattle when vets are not doing their work?†he said.
He however said the law was too weak in punishing the culprits, who are fined sh7,000 on conviction.