Politicians plead for more time to expose crime suspects

Isiolo,

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

KNA by David Nduro

Political leaders from Laikipia, Samburu and Isiolo Counties have appealed to the government to grant them more time to complete collecting names of rustling suspects before handing them to the authority.

The politicians have pleaded with Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki to extend the intended ‘maliza uhalifu’ security operation to a later date so that they reach out in all villages and get names of the implicated criminals and the stolen livestock in the region.

Waso Member of Samburu County Assembly said that the engagement with elders was bearing fruits but they had been facing challenges of tracing the stolen livestock since the suspects had driven them into hiding in forests.

He said although the local communities are committed to ensure all the rustlers among them were exposed, they are pessimistic that all the stolen animals may not be recovered because the owners inflate the numbers after raids so as to gain more in compensation.

Mr. Lemantang urged the government to allow them an extra one week for them to be able to recover all the livestock.

During a recent visit in the region, Prof. Kindiki announced an eminent operation to ensure criminals are arrested, stolen livestock recovered and the illegal firearms used during the raids are seized.

The leaders said that the government should not overlook the efforts the elders have undertaken so far to avoid a blanket operation that would affect innocent residents.

Laikipia County’s Mukogodo East MCA Mr. Paul Leshel said the group has also mapped all the hiding places where stolen livestock were hidden and urged those trying to politicize the recovery activity to stop.

Burat Ward Representative Mr. Nicholas Lorot, Isiolo, said that the process is bearing fruits and the community is ready to wipe out cattle thieves in their midst.

Courtesy; KNA