Anyone who hails from a farming community will quite agree with the statements made by the district chief of Nianija district, Alasan David Cham that farming is such a tedious job that no person or animal should destroy the hard-earned proceeds of farmers. As such, animal owners should take proper care of their cattle to prevent them from unwanted destruction, which will badly affect our quest for food-sufficiency.
According to the Chief who spoke to this reporter in the Central River Region, he has received a series of complaints regarding cattle infringing into peoples' farms, noting that he will not compromise with any offender.
The Chief is absolutely right, especially at the time when the whole world is struggling with food crisis. It is hard to plough and weed only for one?s produced to be destroyed by stray animals overnight.
It is an undeniable fact that while those animal owners, mostly depend on them for the upkeep of their family, the poor farmers also depend on the proceeds of their crops to feed, clothe and pay the tuition fees of their children.
The Chief is right as he put it, "Now is the time to reap what we have been toiling for since at the beginning of the rainy season up to date and the proceeds gained from the farms is what is used for feeding, payment of school fees, health bills and other domestic and social problems."
Many a time when animals destroy the crops of an individual there is always the tendency of people begging the poor farmers to forgive the owner without putting into consideration the plight of such a farmer.
It is time as the Chief has rightly said to get rid of the Masalaha syndrome. What is good for the goose is good for the gander; thus one should live and allow others to live.
We therefore agree with Chief Cham that rules are in place and anyone whose cattle destroys peoples' farm will be dealt with according to the law.
If we are to achieve food self-sufficiency, we must get rid of the Masalaha syndrome.
