• Igembe North MP Maoka Maore and MCA George Kaliunga thanked the GSU and Anti-Stock Theft officers for carrying out a successful mission.
• They passed through the jungle and insecure areas to Marikadaka in Isiolo in search of the animals.
Police officers in Igembe, Meru county, trekked more than 100 kilometres to recover 160 stolen goats.
The region has been prone to rustling and residents have complained about the frequent loss of livestock.
In the past month alone, three people have been killed in Tigania East in retaliatory attacks by bandits. The fallout has been devastating. Residents say the raiders have their hideouts in the neighbouring Isiolo county.
On November 5, there was a fierce gun battle between the police and bandits. Reporters covering the incident had to scamper for safety. Some sustained injuries in a valley. The area is hilly. The gunfire started at about 11.30am and ended at 4pm. The rustlers disappeared with the animals and none was recovered.
Last Saturday, more than 160 goats were stolen in Antubetwe, Igembe North. This time, however, GSU and Anti-Stock Theft officers upped their game and resolved that the thieves would not have their way.
They passed through the jungle and insecure areas to Marikadaka in Isiolo in search of the animals. It was about 100km from the Meru-Isiolo border. Their efforts paid off when they recovered the goats and brought them back, much to the celebration of residents and local leaders.
Not even Igembe North MP Maoka Maore and MCA George Kaliunga were left behind as praises and admiration this time got to the police. They commended the officers for carrying out a successful mission.
“Congratulations to the Igembe North security team on working relentlessly to recover the stolen goats. You went deep into their territory to recover our lost treasures,” MP Maore posted on his Facebook page.
He went on, “You placed your lives at the war front to reclaim our glory. Congratulations to residents on your resilience and patience.”
Residents had been getting impatient as insecurity escalated and took a toll on their lives.
On Saturday, the same day the latest raid took place, Meru elders from Tigania had appealed to the government, through the Interior ministry, to deploy Kenya Defence Forces officers to disarm the bandits and recover their livestock.
“Due to sophisticated weapons the bandits have, the police fear to disarm them and recover our cattle. Why can’t KDF soldiers be deployed to disarm them? Why should KDF keep peace in Somalia whereas we have an enemy within killing our people?” Thiankei M’Mucheke said in Urru.
The elders from Tigania East, West and Central had demanded the criminals disarmed immediately and stolen livestock recovered. They said the rustlers hide in Daaba, Luruku, Atilaku, Atani and other grazing zones along the Meru-Isiolo border.
Kaberia Limuki urged President Uhuru Kenyatta and Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi to fix the crisis, which, he said, has left many residents poor, widowed, orphaned and desperate. Many women have also been raped and the aftermath has been unbearable, he bemoaned.
He said the bandits have become a major problem to Ameru people and are worse than al Shabaab terrorists because they are in possession of highly sophisticated weapons.
Speaking at the county assembly on Wednesday, MCA Kaliunga said the national government must create and secure a buffer zone along the border to keep the rustlers at bay. They have been gaining access to Meru easily and that must be stopped, he said.
“They gain entry through Kinna, Kulamawe and other insecure corridors. On Saturday, they stole from Julius Ntarangwi, Kaberia M’mberia and Henry Kabaya. They recently killed two people in the area. We want security beefed up,” Kaliunga said.
He said he will continue lobbying for a conservancy to be established in Igembe North to aid the fight against bandits and act as a buffer zone to secure the region.
Kaliunga urged Interior CS Fred Matiang’i, Kiraitu to work closely with police reservists. The reservists had been disarmed six months ago. Residents want them rearmed.
“If you compare regions with a conservancy, there is improved security... It will prevent bandits from entering the county and help follow any stolen cattle. It will also be a revenue earner to residents and the county government. Currently, farmers can’t access their farms to plant because of insecurity,” Kaliunga said.
(Edited by F'Orieny)