Tororo vet burns smuggled meat

TORORO | CRIME | FOOD

The Tororo District Veterinary Officer, Dr Boniface Obbo, on Monday, spearheaded the burning of several tonnes of meat that had been smuggled into the district from Mbale district.

The meat that was packed in white polythene bags, was destined for Malaba. It was impounded at Magodesi Trading Centre by a spy team deployed by the veterinary office.

Obbo said the meat had not been inspected and the people transporting it did not have movement permit, an act he said exposes both humans and animals to risks of contracting diseases in case the meat was of a sick animal.

The meat was being transported by a man only identified as Moses from Lwaboba, who took off when the truck was impounded.

Obbo said the meat could also be of a stolen animal that could have been slaughtered at night and ferried to different locations. The meat was burnt to ashes at the to Tororo municipality abattoir.

Obbo said this should serve as an example for others who smuggle meat to the district without proper documentation. Owing to past experiences when the residents exhumed a carcass of a cow which had died of rabies, Obbo said he could not leave anything to chance, especially during the lockdown when some families have taken days without eating meat.

The crackdown comes at a time when the two sub-counties of Magola and Iyolwa have been hit by foot and mouth disease, forcing Obbo to impose restrictions on the movement of both animals and their products. The Government delivered vaccines which enabled the veterinary team to vaccinate over 5,000 cows last week.