Interior CS Fred Matiang'i has warned the government will take action against unscrupulous businesspeople involved in cattle rustling in the North Rift.
He said some traders fund jobless youths to engage in cattle raids, which they later sell to butchers in Nairobi and other areas.
Matiang'i said such means of acquiring wealth are barbaric and unwelcome in modern society. The CS spoke after inaugurating a newly constructed Narok county commissioner’s office in Narok town.
"We are telling these people to look for legal ways of enriching themselves or face the wrath of security personnel," Matiang'i said.
The CS said the government is committed to eradicate not only cattle rustling but all forms of insecurity in the country.
He said cattle rustling is rampant in the Rift Valley compared to other areas and this has hurt development.
“The menace has also led to unnecessary community rivalries leading to the loss of life and property. This makes the much sought-after national unity a mirage in the larger Rift Valley region as communities engage in retaliatory raids to recover stolen animals,” Matiang'i said.
He said regional economic blocs would not achieve their intended purpose unless the continuous cattle raids are stopped.
Seven counties under the North Rift Economic Bloc have allocated resources to tackle sporadic insecurity in the Kerio Valley caused by cattle raids and border conflicts. The bloc aims to improve domestic and foreign tourism in the larger circuit.
Narok Governor Samuel Tunai, Interior CAS Patrick Ntutu, PS Karanja Kibicho, his Devolution counterpart Charles Sunkuli, Narok MP Moitalel ole Kenta and his Narok South counterpart Korei ole Lemein were present during the event.
