The Sunday News
THE story about a scandal obtaining in Bubi district of Matabeleland North province with regards to looting of stray cattle by the local authority and members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police as revealed by last week’s edition of the Sunday News made for sad reading. The story left a strong rancid garlic taste in one’s mouth such that it would be grossly irresponsible if livestock farmers, readers and writers like myself fail to issue a reprimand to the wayward and daylight thieves unduly referred to as officials in the story.
Maybe for the benefit of those that might have missed the conspicuous scandal; the paper reported that officials from Bubi rural district council were conniving with members of the ZRP to buy stray cattle for as low as $60 which in fact is a price for goats in most districts. This pen calls for the better discerning authorities to thoroughly investigate this mischief being perpetrated by thieves dressed in police uniforms. Their heads if at all they are worth something should roll and roll in the mud! How dare they connive to steal from aging and at times ailing old folks who are simply trying to keep their heads above the water? Cattle for $60; which planet are these people from? If the local authority is serious about stray cattle auctions they should at least set a minimum price to avoid such ridiculous prices.
The Bubi scandal should stimulate the long ignored but stubborn debate about stray cattle. A number of questions need to be answered around stray cattle, for example can someone explain to me how problematic is an aimlessly roaming cow in a communal set-up during the dry season? Is the animal trespassing in a communal set-up which obviously has no boundary fences and the land belongs to the State? How sufficient is the three months period given for the owner to search for and find his lost animals? Whose interest does this legislation serve in modern post-colonial Zimbabwe? Readers should remember here that some of these laws were crafted during the colonial times with a singular evil intention of benefiting whites from poor black people’s cattle.
This pen is convinced that we do not need this thieving piece of legislation and law makers could do us a world of good by repealing this retrogressive law around stray cattle. Farmers should just be allowed to search until they find their animals and believe me they will do. What is surprising about stray cattle zealots within the police is that if a stray animal is stolen they can easily track and arrest the culprit within days but somehow they simply cannot locate the owner of the animals within three months! So it is easy and reasonable for them to expend energy in tracking down a thief than tracking down the owner.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police must live up to their motto Pro Lege, Pro Patria, Pro Populo (for the law, for the nation, and for the people). Which law are you enforcing, which nation are you serving and which people are you protecting if you are going to be a willing accomplice in the theft of people’s animals? The livestock industry is laden with crooks and criminals crawling and prowling ready to pounce on the vulnerable unassuming farmers and this does not need the aiding and catalysis of the police and local authorities.
Just last week some farmers in Lupane district were made to pay a $140 bribe in lieu of council levies. Admittedly both parties are in breach of the law but it is not inaccurate to conclude that the bribe was instigated and induced by the police and that cannot be acceptable. It is my humble counsel that authorities including police should resist by all means possible the urge to dip their fingers into the cookie jar as this relegates them into common thieves instead of law enforcers. Merry Christmas farmers and readers, wishing you a productive 2015.
