MPs join hands in fight to end cattle rustling

INSIDE PIC counties pg 21 MPs join hands in fight to end cattle rustling Some of the eight MPs who met at the forum in Tigania East constituency aimed at uniting pastoralist communities and their leaders against the cattle rustling menace.  [PHOTO: BRUNO MUTUNGA/STANDARD]

BY ALI ABDI AND FRED KIBOR

Leaders propose that a helicopter be stationed at Isiolo airstrip to track down the cattle thieves

Eight members of the National Assembly from have come up with a raft of proposals to end the cattle rustling and banditry menace in three counties.

The proposals, which were formulated by MPs from Meru, Isiolo and Samburu counties during a consultative meeting on Saturday, will be forwarded to the national Government for implementation.

The MPs are Joseph Samal (Isiolo North), Raphael Letimalo (Samburu East), Mpuri Apuri (Tigania East), David Kareithi (Tigania West) and Kathuri Murugi (Imenti South).

Others were Kubai Kiringo (Igembe Central) and M’Urunki M’Uthuri (Igembe North). Abdullahi Banticha (Isiolo South) sent his apologies but supported the agenda and resolutions of the meeting.

SECURITY COMMITTEES

Njuri Ncheke chairman (Meru council of elders) Stephen Mucheke chaired the meeting. Members of district security committees from the three counties led by Isiolo County Commissioner Wanyama Musiambo and herdsmen from the Meru, Borana, Somali and Turkana communities also attended the meeting.

To counter activities of rustlers and bandits, the leaders called on the Government to station a helicopter gunship on stand-by at either Isiolo airport or the nearby 78 Tank Battalion. The chopper’s permanent presence, they said, will help security personnel to swiftly move and apprehend rustlers after an attack.

“If the security personnel are backed by a helicopter, rustlers will not be able to carry out an attack and steal livestock,” said Apuri Samal said the private sector, like the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, should help locals through aerial search if an attack takes place.

The MPs also want the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) based at Maili Saba in Isiolo to be moved to Gambela area, arguing that the area was closer to a corridor used by rustlers to steal animals from Meru and Isiolo. They also want the ASTU forces to be joined by the General Service Unit personnel stationed in Isiolo and Meru to seal all the corridors used by bandits. The MPs will take the proposals to Internal Security PS Mutea Iringo, Secretary to Cabinet Francis Kimemia and National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.

At the same time, inadequate resource allocation and neglect by former governance have been blamed for cattle rustling menace in parts of the North Rift region. County Governor said poor living standards fanned the retrogressive practice.