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Rampant stock theft infuriates chief Cooma

BY MAKOKWA CLARA MUYENDEKWA

Chief Cooma of the Tonga speaking people in Choma District of Southern Province has expressed anger over increased stock theft cases in his chiefdom.

He explained that most stock owners have been continuously complaining of thieves stealing their animals in numbers.

“It is sad that people already lost huge numbers of animals during the Foot and Mouth Disease attacks but are again losing more through thefts,” the chief complained.

The Chief also observed that there are existing illegal butcheries in his chiefdom which accept stolen animals to be slaughtered.

He strongly appealed to authorities to ensure they close all such butcheries in order to make it easy to track down stolen animals.

Chief Cooma said authorities must consider deploying police officers in butcheries who will be ensuring all supplied animals are legally owned.

He appealed to Police and the local authority to work hard to ensure stock theft cases are reduced stressing that livestock is a factor in his subjects’ farming process.

When asked for a comment, Southern Province Acting Police Commissioner Alfred Nawa said his office will arrange for a discussion with the chief and his leadership.

He said the latest quarter reveal on stock theft in the province showed that the cases had drastically reduced.

“The high numbers could be from Chief Cooma alone and we will see how we can strategize to bring them down, for example forming anti-stock theft groups,” said Mr Nawa

He disclosed that stock thieves were recently apprehended in Namwala through the anti-stock theft groups who were alert and the same  could be used as they have proved to be effective.

Mr Nawa assured the Chief that strategies will be put in place to ensure the complainant is attended to.

Last month,  Council of Chiefs in Southern Province through a communique signed by 22 chiefs called for  President Hakainde Hichilema and the government’s intervention on the unprecedented rise in livestock theft  the region. 

The traditional leaders said the increasing theft and rustling of cattle and other livestock has been a growing challenge to the people of Southern province. 

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