Cattle Rustlers Ravage Buhera Villages As Farmers Cry for Help

By Evans Jona

BUHERA — Fear and desperation have gripped livestock farmers in Buhera district as a ruthless wave of stock theft sweeps through the area, leaving villagers counting their losses and pleading for protection.

For months now, organized cattle rustling syndicates have been terrorizing rural communities, slaughtering cattle in the dead of night and vanishing without a trace. Community leaders say the brazen criminals are targeting large beasts, depriving families of their prized possessions — and, for many, their only source of wealth and draught power.

In an interview with Post On Sunday, Buhera Residents Network Trust (BRNT) Director Mr Leonard Mabasa painted a grim picture of the crisis that has escalated since January, with a sharp rise in cases recorded in April.

“These thieves are heartless,” said Mabasa. “They break into kraals, drive the cattle into the bush under the cover of darkness, slaughter them, debone them, and leave behind nothing but ears, hooves, and bones. By morning, a farmer wakes up to find his entire livelihood gone.”

The worst-hit areas include Ward 22, Ward 2, Ward 16, and parts of Buhera South, with thieves mainly preying on homesteads lying along the Murambinda–Birchenough Bridge road. The rustlers, Mabasa suspects, are armed with sharp and dangerous weapons, making them a serious threat not just to livestock but to human life as well.

“Cattle are more than just animals here,” Mabasa explained. “They represent wealth, food security, and the muscle for tilling the land. Losing them plunges families into poverty and leaves fields uncultivated. It’s a direct attack on our survival.”

The surge in livestock theft has left villagers living in fear, with some too afraid to sleep soundly at night. Community members recount chilling stories of thieves moving swiftly and violently, leaving behind a trail of butchered carcasses.

In the absence of swift arrests and justice, Mabasa is calling for urgent intervention from authorities and the reinforcement of security patrols in affected areas.

“We are appealing to the police to step up night patrols and to work closely with communities,” he said. “We also encourage villagers to form community policing teams to guard their livestock and look out for each other.”

Livestock farming remains the backbone of Buhera’s rural economy, and continued losses risk crippling livelihoods, worsening hunger, and driving families deeper into poverty.

Authorities have yet to make any arrests, but pressure is mounting for a coordinated response before the situation spirals out of control.
“This is no longer just about livestock,” Mabasa warned. “It’s about our way of life, our food, and our future.”