The Njuri Ncheke Council of elders has called on the government to urgently intervene and provide security to the residents of Igembe North District following a spate of cattle rustling by the alleged Somali and Turkana communities.
According to the District council chairman Linus Kithera the residents are living in fear of attacks from the neighboring communities of Boran, Somali and Turkana who have frequently been invading the area before terrorizing them and stealing their livestock.
“A one week ago a middle aged man was murdered under mysterious circumstances at Antuamburi area and the men from our neighboring communities made away with 36 cows from our kinsmen at Kuramawe and Kina area and the government was only able to recover a few of them.,” posed the chairman.
The over 300 elders claimed that the suspects have made life financially hard for those who depend on livestock for livelihood and the government should now intervene by intensifying security and investigate the murder of the kinsman.
Speaking at Antuamburi Njuri Ncheke council shrine during the initiation ceremony of 101 new recruits in Mutuati Division of Meru County, Kathera said the provincial administration in conjunction with the council and locals recently managed to recover 33 illegal firearms which they alleged were used by the culprits to commit crimes and steal cattle’s in the area.
His sentiments comes barely a few days after a cross-section of leaders and residents petitioned the Internal security minister George Saitoti to intervene claiming some students were forced to drop-out of school due to insecurity while women were being raped by the same rustlers.
He said security should also be provided to all including politicians especially during the electioneering period regardless of their tribe or political affiliation noting the new constitution guarantees freedom of movement devoid of unnecessary threats.
Charles Thirare and John Munya who are the council coordinator and organizing secretary respectively cautioned the larger Meru council national officials against demanding cash from locals when arbitrating over their cases because it is against the Meru culture.
“Our mandates is to intervene on domestic wrangles, to correct indispline cases and restore the meru culture and norms without payment we only ask for penalty fee in form of bulls depending on the magnitude of the offence,” said the region secretary.
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