Leaders in Meru want the county government to allocate funds for buying guns and bullets to boost the fight against banditry in the northern part of the devolved unit, a move likely to face opposition from the national government.
The leaders, who spoke on Saturday during the burial of three police reservists killed on April 7, said cattle rustling in Igembe North had reached alarming levels and needed concerted efforts to tame.
They proposed interventions by the national and county governments to end banditry and called for the establishment of a community conservancy along the Meru-Isiolo border to cut off bandits.
Moses Mungathia, Robert Mwenda and Martin Kinyua were shot dead after an intense gun battle between police officers and cattle rustlers.
Their three guns were stolen but recovered last week. Their burial took place on a day when police in Laare recovered more than 70 stolen goats.
Led by Meru Governor Isaac Mutuma, Senator Kathuri Murungi, MPs Julius Taitumu and Dan Kiili, the leaders accused the government of empty rhetoric on insecurity matters.
Mr Murungi called for the allocation of county funds towards resolving the banditry problem. “The county government should use its funds to protect the people. Money should be allocated in the next financial year to equip and deploy county rangers in the affected areas,” he said.
Meru Senator Kathuri Murungi .
Photo credit: File I Nation Media Group
The senator, aware that the move would elicit resistance from the national government, said he would defend the county government for allocating funds towards acquiring firearms to fight banditry. “I know security is a national government function, but county funds must be used to protect the people. I urge the MCAs to allocate money in the next budget,” he said, noting runaway banditry was unbearable.
His sentiments come a week after Mr Mutuma pleaded with President William Ruto to allow residents to arm themselves against cattle rustlers.
However, Dr Ruto, who was attending a church event at the African Independent Pentecostal Church, told the governor that his administration would end the vice.
“Governor, there is no need to arm the people because we will end banditry just like we have done in the North Rift,” he said.
Earlier, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said the government was exploring the establishment of a community conservancy to solve double challenges of banditry and human-wildlife conflicts along the Meru-Isiolo border.
Herders from Meru have in the past estimated their stolen cattle at over 6,000 since 2022. More than 20 people, including police reservists, have been shot dead during cattle raids in the same period.
Antuambui MCA Fredrick Mburugu said residents were being impoverished through bandit attacks and harassment on their farms. “After stealing all our cattle, they are now harassing women on the farms. As we fight off the criminals, elephants are also a menace,” Mr Mburugu said.
Mr Mutuma told mourners that a security operation was underway following persistent attacks. “I will not be a governor of the dead. I will not accept to be governor for unsafe and hungry people. We have asked the national government to take deliberate action and end this menace,” the governor said.
For his part, Mr Taitumu faulted the security agencies for recovering three guns stolen from the slain reservists without arresting a suspect. The guns were recovered following negotiations with elders.
According to the police, seven suspects were being pursued.
