Ten Maasai herders have been arrested in the last one month and their over 500 livestock held by county askaris.
The herders were arrested for grazing their cattle along Lang'ata Road, Mombasa Road, Westlands roundabout and Wayiaki Way
without a permit, something the county by-laws prohibits.
Speaking
not he phone on Friday, Agriculture executive Danvas Makori said it is illegal to graze in the city without a license and that inspectorate officers have been cracking down on law-breakers.
The cows are being held in a yard in Dagoretti Corner.
“Our yard is already at maximum but we are in talks with a private slaughter house owner if we can use his place to hold more. We also want to buy specious land where we can hold these cows,” Makori said.
Prolonged drought experienced in the country this year is said to be the reason herders, mostly from neighbouring Kajiado county, moved to the city for search of pasture for their animals.
Makori said they have been engaging the Kajiado county government over the issue.
“Sometimes when we take action, these issues turn political but we have been engaging Kajiad Governor Joseph Ole Lenku to help us,” he said.
“Next year we are going to put a notice in the dailies informing Kenyans that grazing in the city without a license is illegal,” Makori added.
In a live feed on his Facebook page last month, Governor Mike Sonko warned herders against grazing in the city.
The governor who was traveling to JKIA, stopped and warned the herders who were grazing their livestock near the airport.
“I have forgiven you today, but next time I will arrest you," Sonko said.
