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Sukulwenkosi Dube, Plumtree Correspondent
BOTSWANA authorities have suspended a shoot to kill policy on cattle that stray into that country which was set to come into effect today after the government engaged the neighbouring country’s authorities.
Home Affairs Deputy Minister Cde Obedingwa Mguni said they held a meeting with their Botswana counterparts and convinced them to suspend the policy.
“We travelled to Botswana where we held a meeting with officials from the neighbouring country and appealed to them to re-consider their policy.
They were understanding and indicated that they would suspend implementing the policy but we are unsure how long that will last.
“Therefore we’re in the process of negotiating with them. We took some cattle belonging to them which had strayed into Zimbabwe back to their country as a sign of goodwill and to show that there were more amicable ways to resolve the problem,” he said.
Cde Mguni said they were trying to create a mutual relationship with Botswana authorities in a bid to reach an agreement favourable to both countries.
He said controlling livestock from straying was difficult as the perimeter fence was sometimes destroyed by elephants.
Botswana had previously announced that it would shoot to kill all cattle that stray into the neighbouring country as a measure to control the foot and mouth disease that was threatening its beef exports.
In response, the government launched an awareness campaign to conscientise villagers on the policy.
Cde Mguni said despite the suspension of the policy, farmers situated along the border had to closely monitor their cattle to stop them from straying into the neighbouring country.
In a visit to Mangwe District recently, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development responsible for Livestock,
Cde Paddy Zhanda said the country has about 90,000 cattle situated along the Botswana-Zimbabwe border and it would be worrisome if the bulk of these cattle were shot because of this policy.
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