Farmers in the Zambezi region continue to lose their livestock at the hands of increasingly violent cattle rustlers, who the police confirmed are mainly Zambian nationals.
The police said these perpetrators have now resorted to threatening local farmers in the Zambezi with firearms before driving off with the animals.
Zambezi Police spokesperson Kisco Sitali revealed that 186 livestock were stolen between 22 April and 22 August 2022. “Stock theft is one of the concerning crimes in the Zambezi region. Most perpetrators are Zambians although we have few Namibians, most suspects are Zambians. They assault the cattle owners and even threaten them with firearms before they drive away the animals,” Sitali reported.
Strangely, he added, “some use these stolen animals to go pay lobola. Some livestock were recovered while they have already been used to pay lobola.”
Although no fatalities have been reported thus far, local farmers live in fear, especially those on the western borderline of Namibia and Zambia where stock theft is rife.
Sitali confirmed there is a lucrative black market where rustlers sell stolen animals to slaughterhouses and butcheries in Zambia. Equally, he said some steal and use such animals to farm in that country. He said out of the 186 livestock stolen, about 15 such cases were opened. Sadly, only 88 stolen animals were recovered. They were handed back to their rightful owners.
In this regard, 10 suspects were arrested, of which Sitali said, since most are foreigners, they remain in custody.
According to him, stock theft is common on the western borderline of Namibia and Zambia. These areas are in the Kongola and Sibinda constituencies.
Sitali mentioned villages such as Liselo, Sibinda, Singalamwa, Kaenda, Masida, Sachinga, Bito, and Kasheshe are solely targets for these crimes where farmers live in fear of cattle rustlers.
Recently, the police at Katima Mulilo also recovered 16 out of 45 heads of cattle stolen on 13 August 2022.
The recovered animals were repatriated to Namibia via the Wenela border post, after they were recovered on 20 August from Zambia.
They were stolen from Chibozu village of Makanga area, some 70 kilometres west of Katima Mulilo and were found at Silumbu area, in the western province of Zambia.
It is believed that the cattle illegally crossed through the ungazetted points of entry.
“Our anti-stock theft unit is active with other units. The majority of these animals are driven across the border, so there are delays in doing paperwork to go to work with their Zambian counterparts. Sometimes, while the paperwork is being done, the livestock is recovered by Zambian law enforcement and farmers themselves. Sometimes, the farmers cross into Zambia to recover their animals,” Sitali said.
Sitali said although they have joint patrols of the Namibian and Zambian sides, the border is too thick to cover. “It’s not accessible by vehicles. It needs a Casper (army truck). It’s sandy to be accessed by officers. We are trying within our means to ensure our farmers are assisted.”