Demand for meat in Nairobi and other neighbouring counties reportedly fans banditry in the North Rift region, alleges Trans Nzoia governor, George Natembeya.
According to the former Rift Valley Regional Commissioner, 70 per cent of the meat sold in Nairobi and Nakuru comes from the North Rift.
In a joint TV interview on Monday, February 13, Natembeya alleged that the stolen cattle are transported at night and delivered to various slaughterhouses within the city.
“You will never find the horns of slaughtered cows whenever you visit Dagoretti slaughterhouse because people identify their animals using the horns,” Natembeya stated.
“The good people of Nairobi eat these animals. You are funding bandits in the Rift Valley,” he added.
The first-term governor claimed that some business people buy the cattle stolen from different warring communities and then transport them at night to Nairobi and Nakuru.
Natembeya further blamed police officers, who he argued promoted the outlawed trade by facilitating the night transportation of animals.
“Those people buying the stolen animals collaborate with law enforcement officers in such a way that they cannot even be apprehended,” the governor further claimed.
He, however, urged the government to devise a new way of renumerating cops deployed to combat banditry in the North Rift region.
President William Ruto, he added, ought to be lauded for deploying the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to help police curb insecurity.
Natembeya’s sentiments came just hours after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki declared the security situation in the Northern Rift Valley region a National Emergency.
Kindiki further declared Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia, and Samburu Counties disturbed and dangerous regions.
“The murderous gangs have in recent days escalated their terror on innocent Kenyans and law enforcement agencies and in the process burnt down schools, police vehicles and other social amenities,” Kindiki’s statement read in part.
“During the attacks, hundreds of Kenyans have been displaced from their homes,” he added.
President Ruto ordered all Kenyans with illegal firearms to surrender in the next three days lest they face dire consequences.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE