Cows are much prized in Rwanda. One however does not tend to hear of cattle rustling in the country, if at all. 

Why then, one might ask, should it be signatory to a protocol to curb an arguably nonexistent problem in the country?

The reason is probably obvious and mainly has to do with the transnational nature of the crime across Eastern Africa. Stock theft in one country often has security implications in another country in the region.

The rustling is largely an organised criminal enterprise in the region with linkages to terrorism financing, the spread of illegal arms and recruitment and use of child soldiers, drugs smuggling and people trafficking.

The banditry also is a major economic disruptor undermining the livestock sector’s contribution to both the national and the household economy within the countries it most occurs.

In the olden days, say, during the expansionist conquests of Rwandan lore, cattle raids were culturally viewed as a necessary evil between rival communities to restock and keep the livestock-based traditional economies humming. This was the norm in much of traditional Africa.

Today, it is a high stakes multi-million dollar industry characterised by wilful violence and widespread corruption, leaving destruction and poverty in its wake.

The signing of the Mifugo Protocol by police chiefs and ministers from eleven countries in the region in October last year was to strengthen joint strategies to address the problem.

Mifugo is Kiswahili for livestock, of which the agreement is a replacement after the original protocol passed in 2008 by the Eastern Africa states stalled and failed to take off.

A provision in the now strengthened protocol allowed it to come into force upon the October signing, making it immediately operational. This helped bypass political bureaucratic processes that stymied the original one.

To ensure this, an implementation unit is already in place while awaiting ratification of the protocol by the national parliaments.

Getting the unit to start moving however is where the political will by the signatories will be tested. As experts close to the process have noted, availing financial and other resources will be the clearest sign of the political will.

However, there’s no reason to doubt regional commitment. And, among provisions urging revamped and concerted measures at the regional, national and community levels is promotion of microchip technology for livestock identification.

It is easy to see why. To read the news, it seems stolen livestock simply disappear into thin air. Microchips on the animals would therefore not only help in their management tracking their location in real-time but help in tracing the stolen herds.

This is another example where government and other non-state partner support in terms of finance and infrastructure will prove the success of the protocol. This includes robust agricultural extension in raising awareness and disseminating information to effectively introduce tracking devices among the communities.

The danger however is the well-known element of collusion between the criminal networks and locals, who would know which particular cows in which localities are bugged with the microchips and segregate or disable them. Remember the powerful criminal networks are also tech-savvy.

Nonetheless, while the chips might still work as a deterrent, complementing them with the mobile capabilities of drones should be considered. 

The camera facial-recognition and vehicle-registration-reading, as well as surveillance and distance capabilities in security drones might yet prove a game-changer, borrowing a leaf from Southern Africa.

Drones have already proved quite versatile in the hands of livestock farmers down south catching thieves and preventing the crime. Thermal-imaging camera capabilities allowing night vision have been described as a force multiplier.

Drones can conduct surveillance covering distances more than 50 kilometres per session. This gives them the edge to detect suspicious activities way before bandits can reach the locations of the intended crime.

Closer home, if not the average pastoralist roaming with his herds in the arid vastness of Eastern Africa, the major ranchers in the region perhaps supported by anti-stock theft police units would be more than be capable of affording and handling the drones. 

The farmers down south show it is possible.

The views expressed in this article are of the writer.