Security officers have recovered 13 out of 17 camels stolen by cattle rustlers from the homestead of former National Assembly Speaker Francis ole Kaparo.
Some of the animals which were stolen in Dol Dol Town, Laikipia North Sub-county on Thursday night were traced to Kipsing village in Isiolo County through assistance from the local community.
Mr Kaprao was not in the homestead when the unknown number of raiders struck and drove away the animals.
“Police and volunteers followed the footprints and managed to recover six of them as they were being driven through the Mukogodo forest towards Isiolo County on Friday morning. There was an exchange of fire and the unknown number of cattle rustlers disappeared into the thicket,” Laikipia County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri told the Nation.
Mr Kanyiri said the other seven were recovered in Kipsing village on Friday evening where they had been abandoned by the rustlers on realizing they were being pursued by police.
The County Commissioner said security officers were liaising with their colleagues in Isiolo in an effort to recover the other four missing camels and apprehend the culprits.
“It appears soon after they were stolen, the raiders divided them into three herds and took different routes as a way of confusing the security officers who were on hot pursuit,” said Mr Kanyiri.
Insecurity has been on the rise along the common border of Laikipia and Isiolo counties after armed herders from neighbouring counties drove their animals into the Mukogodo forest in search of pasture early this year.
The migratory herders have been terrorizing residents of Dol Dol Town and its neighbourhood where they steal cattle, raid and steal shops at gunpoint and at times kill.
The recent killing of Il Motiok Senior Chief Jacob Yiangere, 59, is attributed to the presence of the armed migratory herders with local leaders saying they want to expand their grazing fields into Laikipia County by displacing the locals from their ancestral land.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki visited the region early this month where he announced a raft of measures aimed at restoring peace in the troubled areas. Among the measures spelt out include recruitment and training of some 100 National Police Reservists (NPRs) to be stationed along the boundary of the two counties and setting up camps for specialized police units including General Service Unit (GSU) and Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU).
