UGANDA – The Kampala City and Metropolitan Affairs Minister in Uganda, Ms Minsa Kabanda, has announced that the ban on selling meat in Kampala, as directed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) earlier, will not be implemented.
The ban was issued in response to an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in Kabowa, Rubaga Division, and Kampala.
In a letter addressed to Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Dr. Anna Rose Ademun, the Commissioner of Animal Health at the Ministry of Agriculture, directed all local authorities under KCCA to enforce a quarantine restriction on the movement of cattle, goats, sheep, and their by-products within Kampala.
The directive included the closure of livestock markets, slaughter places, butcheries, loading grounds, and animal shows in the entire Kampala district.
Minister Kabanda, however, revealed in an interview that the Prime Minister, Ms. Robina Nabbanja, had intervened and halted the implementation of the ban.
The decision comes as the government continues to assess the impact of the disease in the capital city.
“When we saw the letter, we went to the Prime Minister for guidance. She rang the person who had issued the statement and told her to withdraw it until further notice,” Minister Kabanda stated.
“We are yet to receive further guidance in response to the Prime Minister’s directives, but as KCCA, we are saying that the status quo remains. People should continue eating meat, but we encourage meat packers to ensure that the animals are tested before being slaughtered.”
The ban, which aimed to curb the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease, has sparked a temporary reprieve as the government evaluates the situation.
Minister Kabanda emphasized the importance of ongoing assessments and adherence to safety measures within the meat industry, assuring the public that further guidance will be provided as the situation unfolds.
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