It is a clear signal that the government’s purse is empty and that our own behaviour has left veterinary officials fighting with one hand tied behind their backs. We have been here before. During COVID-19, many of us thought we knew better. We ignored simple rules, we carried on as if the danger was someone else’s problem, and the virus took lives and left our economy on its knees. We are still broke from that experience. Yet now, with FMD spreading in the southern part of the country, it looks like business as usual.
A fence will not save us if the people refuse to cooperate. Acting Minister of Agriculture Dr Edwin Dikoloti has pleaded with farmers to do the basics. Use tree branches now to close gaps where cattle cross the border. Allow veterinary officers onto your land for inspection. Report suspicious movements of animals. Instead, he tells a jarring experience in which some farmers chase officers away. Others learn about containment plans and drive their cattle out of the zone before the net closes. This is not just foolish; it is a betrayal of every farmer who is trying to do the right thing. A single infected beast moved under the cover of darkness can spread poverty throughout the whole country.
