A cattle vaccination exercise is ongoing in South Sudan’s Northern Bahr al-Ghazal state, targeting not only cattle from the state but also those that have come for seasonal grazing from neighboring South and East Darfur in the Sudan.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, the Minister of Animal Resources and Fisheries Albino Madhan Anei said the cattle which are being vaccinated belong to Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal herders, as well as Rizeigat and Misseriya Arabs.

“Yes, there is vaccination going on in Aweil East and Aweil West counties,” said Albino Madhan.

Another official said the cattle being targeted are those of the nomadic Misseriya and Rezeigat tribes, which come seasonally to South Sudan. Awet Kiir Awet, the commissioner of Aweil East County, said the cattle currently being vaccinated belong to the Sudanese Arab nomadic tribes.

The officials contradicted each other, however, as to whether the vaccinations were being carried out free of charge or not. The commissioner said the Arabs’ cattle were being vaccinated free of charge: “No nothing is being taken from them,” explained Awet.

But the minister said that at least 40 pounds were levied for each 100 cows. He said this was being used to pay the ‘volunteers’ who are carrying out the exercise.

“Truly, the money which is being collected is not much – I mean one hundred cows (are vaccinated) with 40 pounds – that means it is a small amount of money,” he said.

According to the minister about 5000 head of cattle were vaccinated. The commissioner says the campaign is not yet finished and is expected to continue for another two weeks.