Cross border cattle rustling: BW, Zim’s unending nightmare

Zimbabwe and Botswana have made a decision to tackle cattle rustling between the two states head on. The neighbouring countries’ Presidents made the resolution at the 4th Botswana/Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission (BNC) that was recently held in Maun. The heads of states embraced concerted efforts made by both countries in combating the long-standing problem of cross-border crime including livestock rustling.

For years, cross border rustlers has been a nightmare for farmers along the borderline with police working round the clock to curb the scourge with evidence pointing to the direction of Zimbabwe, South Africa and other neighbouring countries for the crime. The crime has affected many areas with North-East, Bobirwa, Ramatlabama, North-West being in the forefront. There is a syndicate of livestock thieves amongst Zimbabweans and Batswana forcing farmers along the borderline to be on the edge.

The growing transnational organised stock theft networks threaten the country’s agricultural economy as farmers continue to lose their livestock at the hands of Botswana, Zimbabwe and South African syndicates respectively.

Cross-border livestock theft remains a concern and threatens the country’s agricultural economy as rustlers are believed to have identified a lucrative market in Zimbabwe where police have in the past recovered the livestock. Even though police have on numerous occasions’ nabbed suspects, Botswana continues to raise concerns about livestock rustling along the country’s borderline with Zimbabwe and other neighbouring countries.

The problem has escalated into serious organised cross border crime.

After realising the gravity of this problem back in 2021, President Masisi set up a Commission of Inquiry into the cross border rustling that established the problem and determined the extent of the problem. Moreover ,the Commission further established from the perspective of the affected community, what was done to address the problem and any mitigating measures initiated by the community to deal with the problem.

The Commission of Inquiry led to the formation of mephato which was spearheaded by the Dikgosi from villages along the borderline in both states resulting in slight reduction of this problem.

Officially opening the event, President Masisi said a meeting is set to take place in July this year between Botswana, Zimbabwe, and two neighbouring countries with the purpose of resolving cross-border livestock rustling. The meeting will primarily focus on establishing an agreement framework to address the issue of livestock rustling that affects communities residing along the borders and concerns both governments.

President Masisi urged all officials to move with speed and ensure the implementation of the framework on cooperation, saying it had a direct correlation on the well-being of citizens.

Addressing the official opening of the ministers’ meeting, Zimbabwean Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Ambassador Frederick Shava said the recent efforts by the government have yielded positive results leading to a decrease in livestock theft along the border. He stated that Zimbabwe remains committed to addressing the endemic challenges of rustling along the border with Botswana and will continue allocating resources towards tackling the longstanding problem that has long plagued communities on both nations.

Shava said during the third session of the BNC, Botswana brought to the attention of the meeting the endemic problem of livestock rustling, particularly along the border something that resulted in the two states initiating a joint framework for co-operation to facilitate and harmonise efforts in the fight against the problem.

He further noted that with satisfaction that the joint efforts by the two police organisations and inter-state liaison operations have drastically reduced livestock rustling along the border. Shava said even if the two states’ resources may be scarce and stretched to the limits, both countries have made sacrifices for the sake of ending this scourge.

Sharing same sentiments, Botswana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Lemogang Kwape said livestock rustling is adversely affecting communities living along the countries’ shared border. He said this problem continues to rob many farmers of their livestock and condemning them to a life of poverty and destitution.

“There is an urgent need to take action on this problem, since it has far reaching implications not only on the livelihoods of the affected communities, but also on the socio-development of our two countries. There is an urgent need to conclude and sign a framework agreement on livestock rustling between the two states,” Kwape said.

In the past mephato and dikgosi within the two states held joint meetings and came up with strategies to tackle this problem that germinated as a slow upshot eventually developed into a fully-fledged monster to the farmers who watched in utter disbelief and resignation as they lose possession of their livestock at the blink of an eye.

Every day police officers with the help of other security officers are at work scaring if not policing alleged cattle rustlers from entering the country at ungazetted points and plundering on the local’s source of livelihood which is cattle.

Back in 2018 the rise in cattle rustling prompted the police to launch anti-cattle theft operation dubbed Kgomo-khumo to curb the scourge. Livestock rearing has been an integral part of the life of a Motswana and major contributor to the economy as every household keeps cattle, goats or sheep in a subsistence form or commercially.

Even though cattle rustling remains a nightmare for farmers through Kgomokhumo operation police continue to arrest suspects, locate and return the stolen cattle. In the past, Mmegi wrote articles in which the alleged thieves invaded the villages at night, emptied kraals and drove the livestock into Zimbabwe while killing any animal that slows their darting moves. Farmers have in the past been encouraged to be cautious at all times and to form neighbourhood watch to help the police to fight curb this scourge through their teamwork.