Botswana has set up a commission of official inquiry into livestock theft on its border with Zimbabwe as tension grows among communities living along the two countries’ borders.

Zimbabweans are accused of raiding Botswana villagers along the border where they seize cattle, which they drive back to their country.

Botswana’s Vice President Slumber Tsogwane on Monday named a nine-member commission of inquiry.

The commission will look into rustling in Bobirwa constituency along Tuli River in Botswana, at the border with Zimbabwe.

“The terms of reference for the commission of inquiry is to establish the problem of livestock rustling in the Bobirwa villages along the Botswana/Zimbabwe border and determine the extent of the problem,” the Botswana government said in a statement.

It said the commission must also “establish how long the problem of livestock rustling in the area has been in existence, what causes or caused it and who are the key players.”

The commission will also establish “whether there has been displacement of farmers in the area as a result of livestock rustling, and how it has affected diplomatic relations of the two countries.”

Commissioners were asked to engage “Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Botswana in recognition of being a critical stakeholder in the matter.”

Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi recently visited the Bobirwa area where he vowed to take tough action against cattle rustlers from Zimbabwe whom he said were causing insecurity in the border area.

The tension between Zimbabwean and Botswana border communities has been growing over the years because of Gaborone’s shoot-to-kill policy when Zimbabwean villagers’ livestock strays into its territory.

Botswana says it has no choice but to shoot the stray livestock as a way of stopping the spread of the highly contagious foot and mouth disease.

Last year Zimbabwe said 30,000 cattle from areas bordering Botswana had crossed into the neighbouring country in seven months.