County security committee bans night transportation of livestock

Agitated residents of Kitengela  arrives at the scene to identify their stolen goats at Isinya Kajiado County on Sunday. Five people suspected to be transporting stolen livestock animals were critically injured while six others were arrested. [Photo: Peterson Githaiga/Standard]

The transporting of livestock at night has been banned.

County Commissioner David Kipkemei said the security committee's decision had been prompted by rampant theft of livestock.

The ban comes a day after five people suspected to have been transporting stolen livestock were injured while six others were arrested in Kitengela, Kajiado town, in a confrontation with Maasai morans.

The morans were said to have been trailing the suspects reportedly transporting stolen livestock in a lorry. The confrontation happened in Isinya town.

The suspects were taken to hospital by police officers. 

Six people alleged to be their accomplices were detained at Isinya Police Station. Police said they would be taken to court after investigations were completed.

The police impounded two other Lorries, one transporting goats and the other one carrying charcoal, and detained them at Kisanju along the Nairobi-Namanga road.

Mr Kipkemei has summoned the police officers who were manning the roadblocks in the area.

"We want to establish who is behind the theft of livestock in this area. Anyone found to have colluded with criminals, whether a senior or junior officer, will face the full force of the law," said the administrator.

Business came to a standstill as the police shot in the air to disperse residents who wanted to set ablaze the impounded lorries.