Opposition Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party President Jimmy Michael Akena has launched a campaign to revive cattle dips in northern Uganda, aiming to combat tick infestations that have long plagued local farmers.
Through his Akena Jimmy Foundation, two dips have already been restored in Lango Sub-region.
One in Omoro Sub-County, Alebtong District dates back to 1972 under former President Apollo Milton Obote, while the oldest in Lango, in Akokoro Sub-County, Apac District, is operational for the first time since 1987, after decades of war and cattle rustling left herds decimated. Obote was Akena’s father.
‘This facility is to help the community take care of their cattle in a better way. The cost and the ability of mixing the sprays, keeping them is dangerous since they contain dangerous chemicals,’ Akena said on Sunday.
‘But when you have a dip, something which the community can use over a period of time. with the help of the veterinary doctor, we shall ensure this dip is monitored from time to time,’ he added.
Akena emphasized that the initiative honors community-based solutions while restoring cattle populations.
‘This is something which is cost effective, it brings the community together and has been a method which has worked for a long time. So as we try to rebuild our lives and restore our cattle population within Northern Uganda, our target is to build 80 dips in Northern Uganda,’ he said.
Local farmers welcomed the revival, citing relief from the cost of chemical sprays.
Pantileo Olul, a resident of Omoro, said: ‘This dip here will help us a lot. Before its revamping, we had a lot of problems which were affecting our animals. We had problems with ticks and the skins of our animals were not looking that good.’
‘We have been spending too much money trying to keep our animals alive. Sometimes we would spend Shs 3,000 on each cow while spraying, but now with the construction of this dip, it is cost effective since each farmer shall be paying Shs 300 for spraying one cow,’ he added.
Isaac Apenyo, LC3 chairperson of Omoro Sub-County, urged residents to use the dip to combat tick-borne diseases.
‘As the head of the political wing at the Omoro Sub-County local government level we shall put a budget in the council such that we allocate some funds for maintenance of this dip,’ he said.
Ticks remain a major threat to livestock, spreading diseases such as East Coast fever and reducing productivity.
With cattle central to livelihoods in northern Uganda, the restoration of dips is expected to improve animal health, boost milk and beef production, and ease economic burdens on households.