Restocking hits snag

By Nicholas Kajoba THE Government may be forced to halt cattle restocking programmes in some districts because the district veterinary officers (DVOs) have failed to follow the guidelines, the Minister Of State in-charge of Luweero Triangle, Mrs Ruth Nankabirwa, has said. Nankabirwa was meeting over 100 former freeedom fighters in Mukono district at the home of Mrs. Harriet Nansinkombi at Nama sub-county in Mukono distirict on Friday. The meeeting was attended by Mukono Resident District Commissioner Abbas Seguya, the District Internal Security Officer (DISO), Mr Jamil Semakula, and many war veterans. Nankabirwa said under cattle restocking programme, the Governmnet set up guidelines to follow under which beneficiaries were earmarked pregnant cows worth sh350,00 and sh400,00 each. "District veterinary officers and local politicians in the dsitrict are failing the restocking programme after they bought cows that are not pregnant and are of poor guality. Each cow was earmarked between sh350,00 and sh400,00 but instead they bought cows of sh250,00 and sh300,00,'' she said. Under the restocking programme in the Office of the Prime Minister, sh18b has been earmarked for the beneficiaries. Nankabirwa lashed out at some councillors and leaders in the district for awarding cattle restocking programme tenders to their relatives saying that the Governmnet may cancel such tenders. Nankabirwa clarified that the programme "is not geared at paying back people who lost their herds during the war but to fight poverty." She said freedom fighters who passed under the verification process will be compensated.