Government says has expressed concern with the rampant cases of cattle thefts in Namwala district and has called for concerted efforts in curbing the vice.
District Commissioner, Wilson Siandunka, said the increase in cattle rustling in the district has deprived many cattle farmers in the area of their only source of livelihood, thus subjecting them to poverty.
His comments come in the wake of the arrest of three people by Namwala Police over the weekend who allegedly stole a herd of 27 cattle belonging to a named cattle farmer of Katengwa area.
The three suspects, identified as Shombe Nacholombwe, Phenias Mwelwa, and Godwin Nani, all of Katengwa in Chief Mungaila’s area, were cornered and arrested in Monze district where they attempted to sell the alleged stolen animals.
Mr Siandunka said there was need to strengthen neighborhood watch groups to help state police curb the vice.
He also advised farmers to herd their animals as opposed to letting them roam around freely to protect them from cattle rustlers.
Meanwhile, Mr Siandunka says the mobile national registration team in the district was facing transport problems as the officers had no reliable vehicle to reach far-flung areas which have since become impassable following the onset of the rainy season.
[ZANIS]
Cattle rustling ..
Poverty Poverty Poverty
If only an environment could be created in Zambia where the massive unproductive human resource would venture in to small business and spin off industries.
Crime levels are that bad in zed.. but if nothing is done things will be come critical .. Think of the army of street kids that would graduate into thugs ( criminals )
spelling LT. Its RUSTLING
Nothing new as far as cattle theft is concerned. Some few crooked poeple of that area can never steal money, but animals.
It is not because of poverty as some one is trying to put it, the people there are very rich. Even these thieves are not poor, but greedy and lovers of money.
What we need is technology in tracking animal movements in those areas.
Government is not there to “worry”, it is there to ACT