Zanzibar — AUTHORITIES in Zanzibar will conduct a special operation to seize and impound rogue animals roving in the heart of town.

"Enough is enough; we do not want to see rogue animals in Zanzibar town any more," said the Urban-West Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Abdallah Mwinyi Khamis, at a meeting with local administration leaders (Shehas and councillors).

He asked Shehas and ward councillors to ensure that stray goats and cows are not allowed in Zanzibar town as the RC decried people leaving the animals to wander about.

Mr Khamis said that the planned operation has been prompted by numerous complaints from residents about rogue animals that have been destroying people's property, causing road accidents and causing filth in the town.

The RC warned that the seized animals will be impounded by the municipal council and will only be given to the owners after paying fines or auctioned should their owners fail to reclaim them. Councillors and Shehas welcomed the operation to get rid of the animals, but asked the municipal council to impose strict regulations in the town.

Despite several attempts in the past including President Ali Mohamed Shein's intervention by giving directives to the municipal council, stray animals remain a nuisance in Zanzibar town.

Laxity in enforcement of laws, superstitious beliefs that stray animals are protected by evil spirits and violent reaction by owners of animals scare municipal workers from seizing stray animals.