Drama as rustlers renounce activity, give up gun

By Osinde Obaret

Six notorious cattle rustlers operating between Kenya and Uganda have surrendered to Government officials in Kwanza District, Trans-Nzoia County.

The gang also surrendered an AK-47 assault rifle to Kwanza DO Millicent Ramaita Ngoya and denounced the illegal practice.

The six men took the officials by surprise when they arrived at the local Provincial Administration office and requested to see the DO.

After being ushered in, the men told the administrator that they had heeded the Government’s amnesty and abandoned cattle raiding.

Surrender weapon

“We regret our past deeds and we are here to surrender our weapon to prove that we are reformed people and we will never go back to the illegal activities,” stated James Aruwo, the gang’s spokes person.

The gang has been stealing cattle from the area and selling them in markets in Uganda.

Gang leader Mathew Mbam alias ‘Major’ handed the rifle to Ngoya and pledged to convince other rustlers to take a similar step.

Aruwo, 39, Mbam, 30’, Philip Korir, 27, Mangat Limasia 27, Mike Rotich, 23, and Joel Lokajie, 25, said they dropped out of school to engage in the activity.

The DO lauded the move by the men and asked other rustlers to emulate them for the sake of development of the area.

She said five more rustlers are at large and asked them to surrender or face the wrath of the Government.

“We are asking other rustlers to voluntarily surrender and the Government is ready to pardon them,” she appealed.

No victimisation

She promised that the Government would not victimise those abandoning crime and assured the reformed rustlers that they would be integrated into the society.