Residents of Murang'a County have raised the alarm over rampant thefts of livestock which have escalated in the past six months.
Food production might also be compromised since the thieves are also stealing ploughing oxen, with the thefts now threatening to cripple the livestock sector.
Murang'a County Livestock Breeders Association Chairman Stephen Waweru said they are incurring an average of Sh10 million monthly loss from the thefts.
He said animals mostly targeted in the thefts are cows, goats, pigs and donkeys.
"We have cases of pedigree dairy cows and goats being stolen hence [affecting] milk incomes, livestock based SMEs collapsing and many pupils dropping out of school since the proceeds from livestock trade have been [adversely affected] by the livestock thieves," he said.
As a result of the worrying trend, security agents in Murang’a have banned the transportation of animals and meat at night.
"It is the law that meat and animals be transported between 6am and 6pm. We will not entertain transportation during the night," said Kandara Sub-County Police Commander Catherine Ringera.
She said that her area is affected and livestock breeders are incurring losses averaging Sh500,000 per week.
Murang'a South Sub-County Police Commander Alexander Shikondi said the same meat business sanctions will apply in his area of jurisdiction.
"We want all meat transporters to be registered and adhere to public health guidelines on how it is packed and transported. This habit of some characters packing meat in sacks and covering it with leaves must stop," he said.
"When we get you transporting meat, you should be in a position to take us to the slaughterhouse the meat originated from," he said.
In Gatanga, police boss Peter Muchemi said vigilance has been increased following attacks by rustlers.
"The rustlers are our local people who conspire with outsiders to steal cows, goats and pigs. Others steal hens. With security agents overwhelmed, we must remain alert," he said.
He said the gangs collude with some pharmacists who sell them sedative drugs, and also liquor outlets which provide them with strong concoctions to knock off the animals before the steal them.
"We also have transporters who rent out their motor vehicles and motor cycles to be used in the racket. Consider yourselves as living dangerously since we are after you," he said.
He also warned area chiefs who keep quiet even when they know where stolen animals are slaughtered, meat packaged and then transported to the market.
Ms Ringera said two private slaughterhouses in her area suspected of handling stolen livestock are on the security radar.
"We want cooperation with these slaughterhouses. The owners must put in place measures to minimise cases of rustlers cleaning stolen stocks by having them slaughtered in the facilities and cleared for the market," she said.
Residents’ association committee member James Wakeru told the Nation that the thieves are well known and reports about them have been made to the authorities.
“In the past we were being told to make efforts to nab them red-handed and hand them over to the police together with exhibits so that they can be prosecuted. But since the issue was made a regional security issue, we have been having a proactive approach and we are now witnessing the gangs being defeated,” he said.
He said the gangs have become more active following a sustained crackdown on brewers in the area which has rendered them jobless.
Central Regional Commissioner Wilfred Nyagwanga said the thieves have been linked to several slaughterhouses in the area.
“We started laying strategies and by involving our people, we started strategic round the clock roadblocks near those slaughterhouses and we were able to [reduce] the menace," he said.
Mr Nyagwanga said the cattle rustlers changed tact and started stealing and slaughtering the animals in the bushes.
"That is when we hit back by mobilising our Nyumba Kumi security initiative structures and increased vigilance in the villages. We interacted more with the villagers and we are now on top of this game," he said.
Recently, Mr Shikondi held an identification parade at Kenol Police Station for six cows which had been recovered after they were stolen.
Area Community policing support initiative board member Hassan Aden Ali said the menace can only be neutered by increased collaboration between the public and security officers.
