Fresh reports indicate that government, through the agriculture ministry, has directed villagers to pay $2 for each animal they keep.
A chief from Shurugwi South, speaking anonymously on the phone, told The Zimbabwean that, on average, every ward in his area held about 500 cattle, 1000 goats, 200 sheep and 100 donkeys.
Added up, every ward has an average of 1,800 livestock.
Zimbabwe has an estimated 9,000 wards, based on statistics that have been used during major elections.
This means that the government will collect about $32,4 million annually from the villagers.
The actual figure is likely to be higher because other provinces and districts have more livestock than Shurugwi.
The traditional leader, however, said he had not received official communication regarding the levy, but admitted that he had learnt through reports that government intended to introduce the livestock fees.
“The problem is that most of the people in rural areas are poor. They will struggle to raise the money. As it were, some have defaulted on their homestead levies to the rural council for many years and it would be a wonder if they manage to pay the livestock levy,” he said.
There was no immediate comment from the agriculture ministry.
Pre-independence governments also levied rural and black farming communities for the livestock they held as a way of discouraging peasants and smallholder farmers from owning big herds.
The cash-strapped government has adopted numerous extreme measures to raise revenue, among them taxing informal traders and garnishing struggling businesses.
Post published in: Agriculture