Several butcheries in Mutare were closed recently after the City Council’s Health Department raided 29 of them and recovered nearly four tonnes of uninspected meat.
The butcheries could have been selling meat from carcasses of cattle that died from foot-and-mouth, anthrax, anaplasmosis, heartwater and theileriosis.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)’s Anti-Stock Theft Unit in collaboration with city officials launched “Operation Nyama Yabvepi” to clamp down on unscrupulous butcheries that were reportedly buying diseased cattle.
Butcheries that were found with uninspected meat were fined ZWL$500 each. They were also ordered to pay amounts equivalent to 10 per cent of the value of the meat recovered from them to cover the costs of burning it.
According to Manica Post, the butcheries that were found on the wrong side of the law are:
Madziro Butchery in Sakubva, represented by Mr Leon Madziro; Sakubva Cash Butchery, owned by Mr Gibson Zimunya; Time Butchery, operated by Mr Gift Mauchaza; Mutendazvose Butchery, run by Mr Tendai Rice; Zvirimugwara Butchery, represented by one Joram; and Saurombe Butchery, run by Mr Obert Chindudzo.
Omega Butchery, situated along Mutare’s Herbert Chitepo Street and represented by one Jasi, Zvapano Butchery in Chikanga 2, run by Mr Shepherd Mukawirapamwe, as well as Dangamvura Butchery operated by Ms Eugen Marange and Mr Tauya Fore.