Windhoek:The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has expressed concern about the increasing hazard posed by livestock wandering freely along public roads and open spaces across the country.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the ministry's spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, emphasized that stray animals present significant safety risks and threaten the nation's biosecurity. He highlighted the importance of the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) in safeguarding animal health and regulating livestock movement under the Animal Health Act, 2011.

Muyunda called on farmers to take full responsibility for their animals by ensuring they are securely confined within designated and registered establishments. The ministry stressed that strict containment is crucial to protecting overall animal health and preventing outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).

To address the issue, the DVS is enforcing strict identification laws, requiring all cattle to have approved ear tags and be registered with official stock brands by the age of six months, or sooner if they are being moved. Muyunda also mentioned that the ministry is working with local municipalities and the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development to enhance enforcement, with several municipalities planning to build impounding facilities for stray livestock.

In communal areas facing similar challenges, specific epidemiological clusters will be managed to maintain national disease control. The warning from the ministry comes as the country continues to manage FMD outbreaks in the ||Kharas and Zambezi regions, while enforcing movement controls, roadblocks, and biosecurity measures.