19 May 2024

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has thanked his Zimbabwean counterpart, Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa for joining forces to end livestock rustling between the two countries.

Dr Masisi, who was addressing Babirwa during the last lap of the restocking exercise in Mabolwe yesterday, acknowledged President Mnangagwa and his team for working closely with Botswana government to tackle cross-border livestock rustling, which had been tormenting Babirwa for many years.

He said he met with President Mnangagwa to dialogue on the issue, adding that the two states had strong relations borne out of oneness, neighbourliness and having the interests of the people at heart.

This saw government deploying various interventions which included delivering customised all purpose vehicle and livestock relief in response to the cross-border livestock rustling that had left farmers impoverished.

A total of 958 farmers from the villages of Motlhabaneng, Lentswelemoriti, Molalatau, Bobonong, Semolale, Mabolwe and Lepokole were compensated with cattle, goats, sheep and donkeys.

“It is the responsibility of a head of state to protect your people. You cannot ignore a situation where your people suffer at the hands of other nations therefore, I implore other leaders who would come after me to take good care of Batswana,” he said.

Dr Masisi further pointed out that the restocking exercise would help rehabilitate the lives of Babirwa after a heart breaking loss of their livestock.

“I cannot reverse what happened, the best I can do as your leader is to help you live dignified lives by compensating you with livestock to start afresh,” he said.

Dr Masisi further explained that cross-border livestock rustling was exacerbated by economic hardships emanating from economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.

He said the sanctions hurt the people of Zimbabwe and at the same time were a thorn to Zimbabwe neighbours especially Botswana. 

President Masisi appealed for the removal of sanctions.

He explained that there was no way Batswana could absolve themselves from issues affecting Zimbabwe because some had relatives in the neighbouring country, especially communities along the border.

He said though lifting of sanctions had not been fully achieved, he acknowledged countries that responded to his call by partially lifting restrictions imposed on Zimbabwe.

In addition to restocking livestock in Bobirwa, he said government intended to help farmers  improve their cattle breed and increase their herd through artificial insemination.

He urged communities in Bobirwa to take advantage of Temo Letlotlo and Thuo Letlotlo programmes, to transform their lives and the agriculture sector, explaining that government’s intension was to commercialise the agriculture sector.

“We want a private sector-led economy and a profitable agriculture sector,” he said.

The ISPAAD programme which was replaced by Temo Letlotlo, he said benefited tractor owners more than the farmers but Temo Letlotlo, would assist farmers purchase tractors and other farm implements. ENDS