Botswana to start shooting stray Zim cattle Obedingwa Mguni
 Obedingwa Mguni

Obedingwa Mguni

Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
BOTSWANA authorities will from next week shoot and kill Zimbabwean cattle that stray into the nighbouring country despite efforts by Zimbabwe to persuade them not to kill the cattle.

Home Affairs Deputy Minister, Obedingwa Mguni, said authorities from the neighbouring country said their shoot to kill policy was coming into effect next week.

Botswana authorities announced three months ago that with effect from June 1 all Zimbabwean cattle that stray into their country will be shot.

“Our neighbouring counterparts have made it clear that the the shoot to kill policy will be implemented as planned. We have held several meetings with them but they have maintained that by June 1 they will shoot and kill all cattle that stray into their area.

“We have launched awareness campaigns to educate villagers on the new policy,” he said.

Mguni advised farmers along the border to closely monitor their cattle so that they do not stray into the neighbouring country.

During a recent visit to Mangwe District, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development responsible for Livestock, Paddy Zhanda said Botswana authorities said they had resorted to this policy because Zimbabwe cattle were affecting their beef exports as the country has incidences of foot and mouth disease.

He said the country had about 90, 000 cattle along the Botswana- Zimbabwe border and it would be worrisome if some of the cattle are killed after straying into the neighbouring country.

Cde Zhanda said the Botswana officials had erected a fence to stop cattle from straying into their territory but smugglers and other criminals were constantly vandalising the fence resulting in the cattle straying into the neighbouring country.

 

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