NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 15 – The government has issued a stern warning to individuals involved in cattle rustling, vowing to impose the harshest legal consequences on perpetrators.
Speaking during a peace meeting at the Narok-Kisii border, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen stressed that cattle theft should not be mistaken for cultural tradition but treated as a criminal act deserving severe punishment.
“Individuals who steal cattle do not do so as agents of a community and should be dealt with as such—criminals who deserve the severest punishment in accordance with the law,” he stated.
Calm has been restored in the region after four days of violent clashes that left three people dead and several others injured. The conflict had displaced many residents and forced the closure of schools, but normalcy is gradually returning, with displaced families going back to their homes and learning institutions reopening.
To enhance security, Murkomen announced new measures, including the establishment of additional administrative units, expansion of police posts, and deployment of more security officers along the border.
“The region will also benefit from some of the 5,000 vehicles currently being procured to enhance police operations nationwide,” he added.
The CS directed security personnel to arrest those involved in crime and dismantle criminal networks fueling insecurity in the area. He also instructed chiefs to crack down on illicit alcohol and drugs, which he said were worsening lawlessness and harming the future of young people.
Murkomen commended local leaders and residents for working with security agencies to restore peace and announced plans to introduce peace tournaments aimed at strengthening cohesion between the two communities.
Source: capitalfm
