EASTERN PROVINCE

Nyagatare — Minister of Agriculture Anastase Murekezi has hailed Nyagatare district authorities for tough measures taken against foot and mouth epidemic in the district.

"Recently I heard that Nyagatare district auctioned over 36 cattle of one Andrew Ngarambe who moved his cattle from Gatsibo district to Karangazi sector in Nyagatare district without an authorized permit from the district authorities,” Murkezi zaid.

"The man deserved the punishment, keep it up because it reflects the district determination to make foot and mouth diseases history in the district, it is assign which reflects that the local people and their leaders are at par in the fight against such epidemics.”

He also noted in a town hall meeting that the owner of the last auctioned cattle deserved the punishment since he had no authorized documents allowing him to shift his cattle from one district to another.

"I first assumed that there was impunity but when consulted by the district bylaws and district authorities only to establish that the complainant did it deliberately, punish them and their likes because when one person infects the cattle in an area, whole community suffers the consequences, this must stop because it’s a hindrance for the development of the district” he said.

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