CROSS BORDER CATTLE RUSTLING CONTINUES TO PLAGUE FARMERS IN THE OKAVANGO PANHANDLE
As the future of the cattle industry in Southern Botswana hangs in the balance due to foot and mouth disease outbreak, there are fears that cross border cattle rustling is dealing a heavy blow to farmers in the wildlife rich North Eastern part of Botswana. Concerned farmers are said to be now taking matters into their hands because they feel law enforcement is failing them. This past Sunday one alleged Zambian cattle raider was said to have been caught by farmers in Eretsha in the Eastern panhandle who beat him up and broke his legs. The man was apparently part of a team that had killed a goat as part of their supplies during the raids. The man was rushed to Shakawe hospital for treatment. Shakawe police, Officer Commanding Senior Superindent Peggy Vakalisa confirmed the arrest of the middle aged man who is still receiving medical help but said they are still to establish how he sustained his injuries. Vakalisa said the man was apprehended by villagers in Eretsha who informed the place. She could also not confirm that the man is Zambian.
The Member of Parliament for Okavango East, Gaobotswe Disho, said he also managed to rescue some of his stolen cattle after pursuing cattle raiders for four days on horseback last week. Disho said he tracked the raiders and caught up with them just before they entered into Namibia where he confronted them with a gun and was able to retrieve four of his cattle.
Unconfirmed reports speak of weekly raids by armed rustlers from Zambia who cross through the Namibian border into Botswana where they collect cattle and drive them across the fenceless border every Thursday and Sunday. The rustlers are said to be well organised and often carry at least one assault rifle. They use horses and carry supplies such as maize meal, pots water, and kill small stock for meat during their raids. They operate in teams, with one team entering the country on Tuesdays to round up cattle by Wednesday and drive them across the border on Thursday while another team crosses on Fridays to round up cattle on Saturday and drive them across the border on Sunday.
Disho says law enforcement in the area is very weak and the situation has reached crisis point with both the police and the Botswana Defence Force unable to effectively secure the border due to lack of transport. He said they lose upwards of thirty cattle a week to rustlers. However Vakalisa said they have the situation under control especially since farmers have organised themselves to deal with the stock theft. “As we speak the capacity is satisfactory. Even the members of the public are up and protecting their property any way they can.” Vakalisa said all the villages in the Eastern panhandle have formed teams to confront the cattle rustling. She said they work in partnership with both the police and the army as well as traditional leaders. Vakalisa however could not confirm the extent of the raids. She said their main challenge is that they are operating in a vast area with wildlife. Disho acknowledged that the Namibian authorities have been proactive in intercepting some of the cattle but said there is very little cooperation from the Zambian side. Disho also says he has been in touch with the Zambian High commissioner in Botswana requesting for a meeting later this month in Lusaka to discuss the issue.
The cattle rustling is said to feed a lucrative market in the DRC where cattle are in high demand. Butcheries in the Western Zambia and Southern DRC which borders Zambia are thought to be the destination for cattle stolen from Botswana.
Disho has called for erection of an elephant friendly border fence to prevent cattle rustling. Recently in Parliament, he raised concern about cattle rustling in his constituency, requesting government to provide resources to beef up security and patrols. He says the rustling is also connecting to poaching as the same people seemed to be ones who have decimated the big tuskers in the area which has impacted on trophy hunting. The area is home to community concessions that rely on trophy, hunting proceeds.
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