Investigations have established that many Zimbabweans could be eating meat from infected animals due to an unholy alliance between butchery owners and corrupt officials from the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Veterinary Services Department.
iHarare has learned that this unholy alliance is allowing meat from infected cattle to be sold to unsuspecting members of the public because the infected cattle are available for purchase at rock bottom prices. Some of the cattle can even go for as little as US$25 per beast if they are visibly sick and about to die and this will result in maximum profits for the butchery owners.
Most of this meat comes from sick cattle which are suffering from anthrax and January disease, also known as theileriosis, which have ravaged most rural communities like Mhondoro, Buhera and Murehwa.
Butchery owners come from as far as Harare and Chitungwiza to buy these sick cattle for rock bottom prices through agents who liaise with the community and with corrupt police officers.
One of these agents who spoke to undercover reporters from the Herald in Mhondoro boasted,
“Those which show little signs of sickness cost around US$60 each, while others that are visibly affected and dying are selling at prices between US$25 and US$40.
“How many do you want my brother? I can assure you that within an hour, we will start receiving the beasts.”
Tawanda who charges $100 commission per beast for any deal he brokers bragged that he had connections at the police and veterinary services who would expedite the clearance of the cattle and certify them healthy for human consumption. He told the undercover reporters,
“Police clearance is not a problem because I have a friend who clears cattle at the police station.
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“We simply take the particulars of the seller and those of the buyer to the veterinary office, who can even sign the clearance papers without inspecting the cattle.
“Last week, with the assistance of these officers, I sold 15 cattle to Harare buyers.”
However, the Director of the Veterinary Service Department Dr Josephat Nyika warned that people risked getting cancer from eating meat from animals which would have died despite being treated by a chemical called Butachem. Dr Nyika emphasized that if a beast is treated with butachem, it takes at least 6 weeks for the drug’s effects to leave the body of the animal. If the animal dies within the 6 weeks, then whoever eats the meat has a high risk of getting certain types of cancer. Dr Nyika told the Herald.
“Please do not ever eat that beef. Once a beast dies after receiving a dosage of Butachem, it must be burnt or the owner should do a deep burial. That meat should never be eaten.
“After giving the cattle the drug, there should be a 42-day withdrawal process, which should occur before the meat becomes safe for human consumption. Consuming it before or within those 42 days is disastrous. The drug causes various cancers. To the people of Zimbabwe, I say, do not eat that meat.”
Another agent who spoke to the undercover reporters at Nharira Business Centre, near Murambinda, said,
“I have been into this business of selling cattle and beef for a long time. I have a lot of clients in Chitungwiza. Most of the butchers prefer infected cattle, which are cheaper.
“I can organise as many cattle as you want. I charge US$10 for each beast, or the equivalent…amount in bond notes. The prices are reasonable and I can get you good beasts for as little as US$40.”
This agent also revealed that he has connections at the local police station and the veterinary officers who would ensure that the cattle are cleared and the meat certified fit for human consumption.
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