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Cattle Traders Act

Chapter 52

Cattle Traders Act
This is the latest version of this Ordinance.
Citation
Chapter 52
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Uganda

Cattle Traders Act

Chapter 52

  • Published
  • Commenced on 30 September 1943
  • [This is the version of this document at 31 December 2023.]
  • [Note: This legislation was revised and consolidated as at 31 December 2000 and 31 December 2023 by the Law Reform Commission of Uganda. All subsequent amendments have been researched and applied by Laws.Africa for ULII.]
  1. [Amended by Law Revision (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 2023 (Act 17 of 2023) on 28 July 2023]
An Act to provide for the regulation of cattle trading within Uganda.[Cap. 224 (Revised Edition, 1964); Cap. 43 (Revised Edition, 2000); Act 17/2023]

1. Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—“cattle” means bulls, cows, oxen, goats, sheep, heifers, calves, kids and lambs and includes the carcass or any part of the carcass of any cattle;“cattle trader” means any person engaged in the business of purchasing cattle for the purposes of resale or slaughter whether the purchase or resale be effected by the person on his or her own account or on behalf of any other person;“currency point” has the value assigned to it in the Schedule to this Act;“inspecting officer” means any veterinary officer or person authorised by the Commissioner of Livestock and Entomology to act as an inspecting officer and includes any administrative officer;“veterinary officer” means any member of the department of veterinary services and animal industry authorised by the Commissioner of Livestock and Entomology to act as a veterinary officer for the purposes of this Act.

2. Cattle traders to be licensed

A person shall not engage in the business of a cattle trader in any area of Uganda unless he or she is in possession of a valid licence issued to him or her by a veterinary officer in the prescribed form; and no person shall have more than one licence; except that a veterinary officer may, in his or her discretion, endorse a licence for use in any additional area as he or she may specify.

3. Applications for licences

(1)An application for a cattle trader’s licence shall be made in the prescribed form to a veterinary officer in the area in which the applicant intends to carry on business as a cattle trader.
(2)On application being made to a veterinary officer for the issue or renewal of a cattle trader’s licence, the veterinary officer may, in his or her discretion, refuse to issue or renew the licence—
(a)if he or she is satisfied that the applicant has been convicted of an offence under this Act or any provision of the Animal Diseases Act or any rules made under either of the Acts; or
(b)if he or she is of the opinion that the applicant has insufficient resources or lacks sufficient experience to engage satisfactorily in the business of a cattle trader.
(3)Where a licence is refused by a veterinary officer under the powers conferred by subsection (2), he or she shall communicate in writing to the applicant for the licence, the grounds of the refusal.
(4)A person aggrieved by the refusal of the veterinary officer to issue a cattle trader’s licence under this section may, within thirty days of the refusal being communicated to him or her, appeal to the Minister.

4. Export licences

(1)A person shall not export cattle from any declared area unless he or she is in possession of an exporting licence issued by the Commissioner of Livestock and Entomology.
(2)For the purposes of this section, the Commissioner of Livestock and Entomology may by statutory instrument declare any area of Uganda to be a declared area.
(3)The Commissioner of Livestock and Entomology shall have power to refuse to issue or to revoke an exporting licence.
(4)An appeal shall lie to the Minister from any decision made by the Commissioner of Livestock and Entomology under subsection (3).
(5)The decision of the Minister shall be final.

5. Movement of cattle

The Minister, on the advice of the Commissioner of Livestock and Entomology, may by statutory order prohibit or restrict the movement of cattle from any area to any other area.

6. Register of licences

The Commissioner of Livestock and Entomology shall keep a register of all persons to whom a cattle trader’s licence has been issued under this Act.

7. Duration of licences

Every licence issued under this Act shall come into force on the date specified in the licence and shall, unless earlier cancelled or suspended under the provisions thereof, remain valid until the next following 31st day of December.

8. Licensing offences

A person who—
(a)engages in the business of a cattle trader without a valid licence issued to him or her under this Act; or
(b)being a cattle trader refuses or fails to produce a valid licence when called upon at any time to do so by an inspecting officer, commits an offence under this Act.

9. Rules

(1)The Minister may make rules generally for better carrying into effect the provisions of this Act.
(2)In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the power of the Minister under subsection (1), rules may be made for any of the following purposes—
(a)any thing which by this Act may or is to be prescribed;
(b)governing the issue and conditions to be attached to any licence;
(c)prescribing and regulating the powers and duties of inspecting officers;
(d)prescribing fees for licences.

10. Offences and penalties

(1)Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of this Act or of any rules made under this Act or who fails to observe any of the conditions subject to which a licence is issued, commits an offence under this Act.
(2)Any person who commits an offence under this Act is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding twelve currency points or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both.

11. Power of court to cancel or suspend licence

On any conviction of a cattle trader for an offence under this Act or under any of the provisions of the Animal Diseases Act or any rules made under either of the Acts, the court may, in addition to any sentence imposed, cancel or suspend for any period it thinks fit, any licence issued under this Act to the offender, and may declare the person convicted to be disqualified from obtaining another licence under this Act either permanently or for a stated period, and shall endorse upon the licence particulars of any order made under this section, and shall also furnish the Commissioner of Livestock and Entomology with particulars of the conviction and order.

12. Power to amend Schedule

The Minister responsible for finance may, by statutory instrument, with the approval of Cabinet, amend the Schedule to this Act.

Schedule (Sections 1,12)

Currency point

A currency point is equivalent to twenty thousand shillings.
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History of this document

31 December 2023 this version
Chapter 52

Revised Laws 2023

Consolidation
28 July 2023
31 December 2000
Chapter 43

Revised Laws 2000

Consolidation
Read this version
30 September 1943
Commenced