Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Abdi Hassan ordered eleven influential families herding their livestock illegally in parts of Baringo North to vacate and return to their original home within 24 hours, failure to which unspecified consequences will be instituted.
Speaking in Marigat, Hassan maintained that they shall no longer entertain the activities of the owners who were wreaking havoc by killing innocent people, and maiming and uprooting them from their lands.
Further, Hassan stated that the dangerous armed herders taking care of the hundreds of livestock belonging to the influential families from Tiaty have been issued warnings by local chiefs to move out, but they have disobeyed the amnesty given to them.
Hassan also said they suspect that the herders are part of the larger syndicate which for the past three months has been causing untold suffering to residents of Baringo North and South as well as the neighboring counties of Elgeyo Marakwet, Laikipia, Samburu, and Turkana.
“The Government will take very painful measures which they will remember for a very long time, if they don’t heed vacation orders and advice given to them. We shall deal with them ruthlessly regardless of their social status in society. Let it be known,” he said.
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The RC stated that they are also monitoring very closely activities taking place in a number of markets in the Tiaty constituency to take appropriate action against individuals who are part of the conduit.
Hassan identified three locations, Sibilo, Yatya, and Ngorora in Saimo Soi and Bartabwa wards, as the most affected by the cattle rustling and banditry menace.
He said the rest of the county remains relatively peaceful.
Additionally, he said that security agencies already on the ground shall not relent in the fight that might take long to ensure that people's lives and properties are safeguarded.
“We shall dismantle these criminals and ensure we completely destroy and vanquish them, we shall exterminate them until they are no more in order to pacify the region if possible once and for all.”
An agitated Hassan directed all security officers to dispatch any armed criminal to their final destination, saying that the government cannot sit and watch such elements instill fear in innocent wananchi, kill and take away their livestock with impunity.
