By Patience Gondo
WAR veteran beneficiaries in Beitbridge are still waiting to receive cattle allocated to them under a livestock empowerment programme, after the War Veterans League said ongoing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) restrictions are preventing the animals from being handed over.
The concerns surfaced on Friday when beneficiaries said they had been told their cattle are available but cannot be collected due to veterinary movement controls.
“We were told our cows are there, but we have not received them,” said Non -combatat Tshilidzi Ndlovu .
Another beneficiary said they were informed the process could only proceed once disease restrictions are lifted.
“They said we cannot be escorted to collect them because of foot and mouth. We are waiting for the time they will allow us,” the beneficiary said.
The War Veterans League member Pfulwani Muleya confirmed the delay, saying the cattle meant for beneficiaries are present but cannot be moved under current quarantine regulations.
“Once it is over, their cows will come,”Muleya said
Beitbridge has been under livestock quarantine since October 2025, when the Department of Veterinary Services confirmed an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease that affected more than 400 animals in the district.
The outbreak, first detected in Beitbridge West before spreading to Beitbridge East prompted veterinary authorities to immediately ban the movement of cattle, goats, pigs and sheep in and out of affected areas to prevent further spread.
Officials said 42 944 cattle had been vaccinated as part of containment efforts and warned that violating quarantine regulations could result in legal action.
Foot and Mouth Disease is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven hoofed animals and can cause serious economic losses due to livestock deaths, reduced productivity and trade restrictions.
In Zimbabwe, control of the disease is managed at national level, with quarantine measures only lifted once the outbreak is contained.
As of February 2026, livestock movement restrictions remain in place in Beitbridge, delaying the distribution of cattle to intended beneficiaries.
The War Veterans League said the beneficiaries will receive their cattle once veterinary authorities lift the quarantine, linking the delay directly to ongoing efforts to control the disease.