Wetang'ula tells administrators to eradicate cattle rustling

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula. [Phares Mutembei, Standard]

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula has told administrators to deal decisively with the cattle rustling in northern Meru.

Cattle rustling, which has in recent years become the main internal security concern in the northern region collectively referred to as Nyambene, which neighbours Isiolo and Samburu.

Speaking at Mikinduri Deputy Commissioner's camp over the weekend during a funds drive in aid of Tigania Women Sacco, Wetang'ula who was accompanied by several Meru MPs said it was upon the administrators to act to end the security.

"We don't want to hear livestock are stolen by your neighbours and sold as the owners suffer," he said.

The Speaker said the administrators should engage with the national government to identify the security needs of the region to deal with criminal activities.

"If you have a deficit of vehicles or equipment to deal with the criminals, you should inform us in Nairobi so that we can intervene," he said.

He asked chiefs in the affected regions to play their duty at the grassroots to identify suspicious people who might be working with the criminals.

"There is no way someone can travel 100km away to steal livestock here without assistance from people. There must be agents of the bandits. The chiefs should identify them," he said.

Wetang'ula noted that Internal and National Government Administration Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki had managed to suppress banditry, killings and cattle rustling in Baragoi, Pokot, Baringo, Garissa and Tana River among other areas that were affected by insecurity.

"Since he became Internal CS, he has managed to deal with cattle rustling and killings everywhere. I will engage him so that we can end cattle rustling here," he said.

Tigania East MP Mpuru Aburi regretted that the local economy had been adversely affected by cattle rustling, and it was time to end the insecurity once and for all.

"As Tigania people, we want our livestock back. We want the security personnel to do their job because we are not happy," he said.

Tigania West MP John Mutunga appealed to Kindiki and Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome to help residents in the recovery of the livestock and beef up security in northern Meru.

"Our people have suffered. The stolen livestock is their means of subsistence," said Mr Mutunga.

Igembe South MP John Paul Mwirigi said Meru leaders, they want the national government to launch an operation to recover stolen livestock.

"The livestock owners have been left with no source of income. While we appreciate CS Kindiki for the work he is doing, we need the stolen livestock back," Mr Mwirigi said.

Igembe North MP Julius Taitumu, whose constituency is a hotspot of cattle rustling, said affected families need compensation after they were deprived of their source of income.

About 700 heads of cattle were stolen from the constituency last week and police only managed to recover 135 cattle in Isiolo and Samburu counties.

"It is an operation that has been on since Tuesday. On Tuesday, we recovered 68 and on Wednesday, 67 in different places in Isiolo and Samburu. We are fighting them (raiders) hard," said Tigania East police boss Emmanuel Kiplagat.