Govt Bans Slaughter Of Livestock From Disease-affected Districts

The government of Zimbabwe has banned the slaughter and sale of cattle from regions affected by disease outbreaks.

This was revealed by Agriculture Minister Perrance Shiri during a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare on Tuesday. While dismissing social media reports claiming that butcheries in Harare were selling meat from diseased livestock, Shiri said:

Nevertheless, we have taken heed of those reports and given that our Veterinary Department is charged with the inspection of meat during slaughter, we have issued an instruction to the effect that no cattle or livestock from disease-affected areas should be sold for slaughter. Livestock can be slaughtered from other regions which are free of the disease.

Anthrax and January Disease have been reported in several parts of the country, among them Gokwe, Nkayi, Gutu, Bikita, Marondera, Chegutu, Makonde and Sanyati.

Meanwhile, social media has been awash with pictures of dead carcasses of animals which reportedly succumbed to diseases.

The meat is allegedly sold to butcheries, who in turn, sell it to unsuspecting consumers.

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