The government has intensified the crackdown on suspected livestock thieves in Nyandarua County following public outcry over the severity of losses encountered.

According to Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, through a multi-agency team approach, the security officers have arrested and arraigned some people, and the operation is ongoing to net more suspects.

Addressing journalists at Nyandarua County Commissioner’s office at the start of the grassroots security engagement, the CS vowed to ensure the culprits are dealt with as per the law and to have the crime stamped out in the county. 

He noted that the crime has mutated from stealing livestock to slaughtering the animals in the pens and carrying the steak in the dead of the night.

“Cases of livestock theft have significantly reduced, owing to the efforts of administrative units working hand in hand with Wananchi, who have taken seriously the advice by the security officers,” stated the CS.

He spoke as he acknowledged that local farmers have suffered significant losses, which culminated in the burning of Ndunyu Njeru police station in Kinangop constituency, where three suspects accused of livestock theft died.

He, however, urged locals not to take the law into their hands and resort to mob justice to register their frustrations.

“I was told graphically that since Nyandarua is very cold, when people go to sleep, they go to sleep, and thieves know,” said the CS, noting that the thieves don’t come from far and they usually scan the homestead before stealing livestock.

“There is a new phenomenon where they don’t drive away the livestock, they slaughter and take the meat to sell in some of the butcheries where there is collusion. The citizens here took it seriously, and they have been cooperating with security officers. On the issue of the burnt police station, the irate mob, the members of the public, as a result of the suspects we were holding, attacked.”

“The contributing factor is that the suspects were told to be cattle thieves, and citizens had lost faith in the justice system.  No one should take the law into their own hands; they should be taken through a court process, and in the process of interrogation, it helps appreciate the depth and network that perpetrators’ mob justice,” he stressed

Murkomen said it is important to allow the suspects to go through the court despite the anger and frustrations.

The hotspot areas identified include Kinangop, Olkalou and Ndaragua.

The intensified security operations have led to numerous arrests and prosecutions.

He also weighed in on the recent theft of National Identification Cards, saying the process is on to replace them.

He warned against identity theft, saying those found misusing another person’s identity will be dealt with by the law.