Published by the government of Zimbabwe
12 November 2004
Harare — MOST cattle stolen from Mashonaland East, Manicaland and Mashonaland Central provinces are being smuggled into Mozambique where they fetch higher prices, police have said.
Police reports throughout the country's 10 provinces showed that more than a million Zimbabwean cattle have been lost to unscrupulous dealers who smuggle them into Mozambique.
Some are also allegedly being sold to unlicensed butcheries, mostly in the peri-urban and rural areas.
Between January and June this year, 8 986 cases of stock theft were reported in all provinces compared to last year's 8 894 cases.
In most cases, more than one cattle was stolen in a single reported case while police have not made headway in recovering the bulk of the stolen cattle.
With the July, August, September and October statistics still being calculated, there are indications that the statistics could double owing to a sharp increase in cases of stock theft over the last four months.
Stock thieves in Mashonaland East, Manicaland, Mashonaland West and Midlands provinces, where the highest number of cases were reported, were allegedly taking advantage of the land reform programme, which had seen a relaxation in restrictions governing the movement of cattle.
Mashonaland East, which borders Manicaland Province, recorded 1 687 cases of stock theft during the first six months of this year, compared to 1 591 cases for the whole of last year.
It is suspected that most cattle stolen in the area were also smuggled into Mozambique through the Nyamapanda Border Post.
Some cattle stolen in Mashonaland East were at times ferried to the border town of Mutare or as far as Chipinge where they were sold to Mozambicans who frequented the border areas.
Manicaland recorded the second highest number with 1 298.lost to cattle rustlers.
Police in Chipinge last week confirmed that stock theft dominated their records with a significant number of Mozambican nationals implicated.
Mashonaland West recorded 1 207 cases while 1 182 cases were recorded in Midlands.
There has been a sharp increase in stock theft cases in Harare this year compared to last year.
Last year, 127 cases were reported, while this year 191 cases had so far been reported during the first half of the year.
Police in Harare attributed the increase in cattle theft to flourishing unlicensed butcheries.
Matabeleland South recorded 877 cases compared to last year's 797 while Masvingo has 808 cases, up from last year's 797 cases.
Residents of Rushinga and Kanyemba in Mashonaland Central have also suffered heavy losses. This year alone, the province has recorded 804 incidents of stock theft compared to 760 cases during the corresponding period last year.
Against the trend, cases of stock theft in Matabeleland North Province had decreased from 741 last year to 651 and Bulawayo has also seen a reduction from 294 cases to 281 this year.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Oliver Mandipaka yesterday said they had introduced comprehensive policing strategies to curb the menace.
"We have revived the anti-stock theft committees in all areas to enable us to effectively monitor activities of suspected cattle rustlers," Supt Mandipaka said.
He said the committees comprised officials from the veterinary department and other local authorities.
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