A zone too big for its own good

MOKATAKO: As Parliament wrapped up its sitting last month, legislators approved a critical motion. Boteti West Member of Parliament and Chief Whip, Sam Digwa, successfully requested his colleagues to “urgently re-demarcate existing veterinary disease control zones, particularly Zone 11, 3B”. Digwa argued that, together with the re-demarcation, the maintenance of all zonal fences across the country would enhance livestock disease management and improve farmers’ livelihoods.

It is a clear signal that the government’s purse is empty and that our own behaviour has left veterinary officials fighting with one hand tied behind their backs. We have been here before. During COVID-19, many of us thought we knew better.

We ignored simple rules, we carried on as if the danger was someone else’s problem, and the virus took lives and left our economy on its knees. We are still broke from that experience. Yet now, with FMD…