By Risco Lumamezi
A Livestock farmer Mr. Davis Kamwi (47) is demanding compensations for losing his two farm animals after the Chief Animal Health Technician has failed to examine the cattle which was failing to give birth.
Mr. Kamwi is accusing Mr. Albert Muloho, Chief Animal Health Technician for Caprivi State Veterinary office for misconduct and poor medication of his cow at Mafuta some 7 kilometres south of Katima Mulilo.
He alleged that Mr.Muloho inserted a beer bottle into the womb of his cow that caused its death when trying to give birth.
He told Caprivi Vision that his Brahman cow was failing to give birth on March 28 and thereafter opted to report the matter to the nearest State Veterinarian for rescue but proved futile.
“He came on the same day and ran tests and he ended up saying the animal had given birth already but in the actual sense it did not give birth, and pushed in the womb back into the animal and sown in stitches including a bottle of beer and left the animal just like that” said a worried farmer Mr. Kamwi .
He said , his cow remained in the poor condition for three days since it was a long weekend of Easter on that same day (March 28 ) afternoon it started to struggle for the actual birth which was supposed to happen but it could not give birth because of the stitches it had outside its muscular tube (Vagina).
“ On the fourth day April 1, 2013 the animal died with a calf in the womb, I called the responsible person but refused to attend to me at the farm , so I called in the media to take footage of what had transpired , I also took some pictures” he said .
He added saying on the following day he went and showed them ( ministry) pictures he took of his animals.“ the doctor I found mentioned that he heard about my case and called the medical officer that was attending to me for questioning , and agreed for his actions and still denied that there was nothing in the womb ”.
Mr. Kamwi still argues that , “my question is how did the calf appear on the photos’ I took , to me this was an act of negligence by the ministry and I’m hereby demanding for compensations for the loss of my animals ”
He further demanded the ministry to compensate him an amount totalling to the value of his two Brahmans at N$12000.00.
However, Mr. Muloho, Chief Animal Health Technician for the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry under the Directorate of Veterinary Services in Caprivi region confirmed the incidence that the concerned farmer Mr. Kamwi reported the case to his office and he examined the cow after observing that the womb was discharged and it was likely aborted its unborn calf.“ He reported the animal to us when the womb was discharged and I told the herd boy to look after the cattle and let me know ” he said.
He admitted that the beer bottle was inserted into the womb of a cow to prevent it from aborting the calf.
When asked to shad some lights on why he did not help the animal to deliver its calf and why he put the bottle inside the womb, “ I have been doing this for 40 years now , I know I could remove the bottle after 14 days , why didn’t he call me so that I could go back and help the cow ? ”. Explained Mr. Muloho.
He further denied all accusations leveled against him as baseless. Chief Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry Ms. Margret Kalo promised to get the relevant authorities on whether the concerned farmer will be compensated or not.
Dr. Justine Yule of the State Veterinary in Caprivi confirmed the case as he had advised the two parties to furnish all their complaints and reports after the incidence.“ We are waiting to hear from the head office in Grootfontein on the case” explained Dr. Yule, Who further declined to comment on the matter and he referred this paper to Dr. Alaster Samukange Chief Veterinary Officer for Northeastern Division based in Grootfontein.“I need my superior ( Dr. Samukange ) to comment or authorise me ” said Dr. Yule .
In his response Dr.Samukange confirmed that “ we have done fully investigation to what happened and we have to follow prescribed procedures” he said.
He explained that proper channels has to be followed that will also include the government attorney and the committee that evaluate how much is to be compensated to the value of the loss of the concerned Farmer(Mr. Kamwi .
He also further said that at the other hand of the case with regard to the conduct of the staff there are still some mechanism of merits that need to be followed, and he did not want to comment on what will be done .
Dr. Samukange told Caprivi Vision that this was the first of its kind to happen in his area of work which comprises of Caprivi,Kavango and Otjozondjupa.
Loading …