By Marsha Sengwe

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police’s National Anti-Stock Theft Co-ordinator, Commissioner Mbengwa Fredrick drove all the way from ZRP headquarters in Harare to Rushinga last Thursday to address rising cases of stock theft in the border district.

Working in collaboration with one of the chiefs in the district, Chief Makuni, Commissioner Mbengwa met with all the 150 village heads under the chief and called on them to introduce village anti-stock theft committees.

These committees will be responsible for night patrols guarding against stock rustlers.

“But these committees must comprise of very honest members, who will not connive with the rustlers to steal more,” he advised.

He pleaded that they (village heads) must lead the seven member members.

The meeting was held at the chief’s residence in Muzika Village, towards the Zimbabwe border with Mozambique.

The Mt Darwin police district has of late been recording a rising number of stock thefts with many bovines being driven into Mozambique.

The district is made up of Mt Darwin and Rushinga administrative districts, bordering Zimbabwe with Mozambique.

Commissioner Mbengwa said he was optimistic that the cases will reduce as long as the anti-stock theft committees were set up and the village heads kept on working with the police.

The Officer Commanding Mt Darwin District, Superintendent Makuni, said since January, the district had received reports of more than 482 stock theft cases compared to 266 over the same period during 2023.

Speaking at the same meeting, officials from the Veterinary Services and Civil Registry departments called on the villagers to brand their cattle.

The veterinary services department also called on farmers to keep registers and or stock cards of their herds.

The department went further to alert members of the public against moving cattle without movement permits.

New Ziana