A group of armed men raided a village in Isiolo on Sunday, August 25, killing a herder and stealing 100 cows from a homestead in the Kambi Garba area. The attackers shot the herder in the chest, leaving him fatally injured. Despite efforts to rush him to the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries en route.
Following the incident, police officers were deployed to the area and traced the assailants to Samburu, but no recovery of the stolen livestock has been made so far. Authorities are continuing their efforts to address the ongoing cattle rustling issue, which has significantly impacted the region.
The government has been intensifying its measures to combat this menace, including deploying additional resources such as vehicles to the affected areas. Despite these efforts, the attacks persist, contributing to instability in the region.
The Kambi Garba area is one of the regions under police operation aimed at recovering illegal firearms from civilians. The Operation Komesha Uhalifu North Rift, which began three months ago, involves multi-agency teams covering several counties, including Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, Marsabit, and Isiolo.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki emphasized the government’s long-term strategy to empower local communities to actively participate in combating animal rustling and engage in lawful nation-building activities. He outlined plans to distribute subsidized agricultural inputs and provide extension services to residents to revive farming as an alternative source of livelihood.
“We are not only targeting the criminals but also dismantling the entire network that sustains the cattle and livestock rustling industry,” said Kindiki.
