By Tovin Ngombe:-
Sinazongwe District Council has carried out an operation of shooting stray animals that have become a nuisance in Maamba Township together with the Maamba mine police and the Sinazongwe state police.
The security officers that swung into action in the morning on Wednesday killed six pigs and one goat.
Maamba ward Councilor Peter Siavuulwa said the council has done a recommendable job to restore the township to its acceptable condition.
He urged people keeping domestic animals in the compound to immediately remove them because the exercise was ongoing.
The Councilor said the exercise was not meant to deprive people of their animals but to enlighten them that it was against the law and the health of people to keep domestic animals in the township.
“We will continue to sensitise people on the need to have their animals taken far away from the residential area to instill decency in the community,†Siavuulwa said.
The Sinazongwe District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) set 31 March 2007 as day of shooting all stray animals that have become a nuisance in Maamba Township.
Sinazongwe Council Secretary Oliver Muuka told the meeting that the council has the mandate under the local government act to shoot any stray animal.
Mr. Muuka said he was disappointed that the issue of shooting stray animals in Maamba had taken long without any action being taken.
Maamba police refused to shoot the stray animals because the owners threatened to bewitch them even when Maamba Mine gave them ammunition to conduct the exercise.
Sinazongwe District Commissioner Laiven Apuleni said the issues of stray animals have been a source of concern to the district as it had kept on coming up in many forums even under the District Epidemic Preparedness Committee (DEPC).
Maamba Township has been crowded with domestic animals such as goats, pigs, cattle, and dogs that move anyhow within the township.
Most people have expressed fear that domestic animals have been the source of Cholera outbreaks that Sinazongwe district had been experienced.
