Police blamed for inaction as cattle raiders steal and kill

Governor Peter Munya has accused the Government of not doing enough to curb cattle rustling in the Nyambene region.

This is after suspected cattle rustlers from the Samburu and Borana communities on Friday raided Murontoi in Tigania East sub-county and made away with over a 100 heads of cattle.

According to Tigania West OCPD Charles Kosgei, police pursued the raiders and managed to recover 46 animals, while another security team led by Igembe North deputy OCPD Wanjiru Andanje pursued another group of rustlers who had made away with an unconfirmed number of livestock.

Speaking on Sunday at Lailuba in Tigania East, Governor Munya said his efforts to get national security officials to act had hit a snag, and asked locals to help him put pressure on the national government to intervene.

"Hardly a month passes without cattle rustlers from neighbouring counties raids our region. For how long will this continue before the government deploys enough security to protect locals?" asked Munya.

"I am tired of travelling to Nairobi every month to see the Inspector General of Police and Interior minister to ask for help," said the governor.

He said the county government rangers trained by Kenya Wildlife Service could not ward off the raiders because they have no guns. Areas that have been most affected are Tigania, Kangeta and Mutuate, where scorns have been killed by the raiders.

At the same time, Governor Munya has asked the County Assembly to come up with a realistic budget, after he refused to ascent to the 2015/2016 budget.

Speaking when he commissioned the new Sirimon Dispensary in Buuri sub-county on Sunday, Munya said the Assembly needs to reduce on the expenditures, and allocate a good share of funds to development projects.

He was particularly irked by the Sh20 million the Members of the County Assembly (MCA) allocated for the Ward Development Fund, and the Sh152 million top-up for the County Assembly, bringing total allocation to Sh800 million.

REJECTED BUDGET

Munya indicated that he will not assent to the budget if development expenditure is not given enough allocation.

"We are using county funds to develop the wards. The roads and hospitals being constructed are in wards. I don't see any reason why MCAs want to increase the ward development kitty," Munya said.

His sentiments were supported by Kibirichia Ward Rep Jacob Mwiirigi and Kinoti Muguna (Timau), who said they were ready to work with the governor and asked their colleagues to do the same.

"We are ready to work with you so that residents can enjoy better services. We will lobby other members to increase allocation for county development," said Mr Kinoti.

However, some MCAs are unhappy with the governor's decision to reject the 2015-2016 budget.

Nominated MCA Alhaji Mwendia and Igoji West's Alphaxard Chabari are of the opinion that giving the 45 wards equal funding is not fair, since some areas had already experienced development before the coming of the county governments.

"We want all parts to develop. What we are seeing is inequality in resources distribution," Mwendia said.