Cattle rustling riles Botswana, Zimbabwe

CONTINUED cattle rustling activities along the Zimbabwe-Botswana border are baffling and riling authorities despite intensive joint police operations to curb the vice.

Recently the two countries formed a Zimbabwe-Botswana Bi-National Commission (BNC) to collaborate efforts to curb cattle rustling activities along the two nations' common border.

On Friday, media reports from Botswana stated that even though the Botswana Police Service (BPS) arrests suspected cattle rustlers through its Kgomo Khumo anti-stock theft operation, the country has continued to experience livestock thefts along its border.

In February, the two nations held their third session of the BNC in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe where officials from Botswana raised concern over continued cross-border cattle rustling.

Botswana's Defence and Security ministry secretary, Botlhale Makgekgenene has also raised the concern with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner General Godwin Matanga.

The concern was raised when Matanga recently paid a courtesy call on Botswana Defence and Security minister Kagiso Mmusi.

Makgekgenene reportedly appealed to Botswana and Zimbabwean police to come up with strategies to effectively curb the problem.

Matanga and his delegation were on a four-day visit to BPS to assess progress on the implementation of the BNC agreements.

Matanga reportedly expressed gratitude for the working collaboration between the two police services, and assured his neighbours that Zimbabwe was committed to combating stock theft.

Acting Police Commissioner for Botswana, Phemelo Ramakorwane said the increased number of base camps along the border have resulted in positive outcomes because stock theft cases had significantly decreased.

Ramakorwane appreciated the continued good working relations existing between the two police services.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa early this year also established an inter-ministerial committee to tackle cross-border cattle rustling along the Zimbabwe-Botswana border.

The inter-ministerial committee is chaired by Zimbabwe Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage minister, Kazembe Kazembe.

The issue of cross-border cattle rustling, whereby stolen cattle from mainly Botswana are smuggled into Zimbabwe, has been a major concern for both countries with the crime having escalated this year.

Zimbabwe and Botswana agreed that there was need to electronically tag cattle that graze along the borders, especially at Mlambaphele where the tagging programme was pioneered.