Murkomen leads multi-agency push to curb Nyandarua livestock theft » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 20 – The government is escalating a multi-agency crackdown on livestock theft in Nyandarua County after rising public outcry over losses that have squeezed household incomes and disrupted local meat supply chains.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said several suspects have already been arrested and arraigned, with more expected as operations intensify across hotspot subcounties including Kinangop, Ol Kalou and Ndaragwa. “Cases of livestock theft have significantly reduced,” he noted, crediting coordination between administrative units and residents.

Officials say the crime has morphed from open rustling to night-time slaughter in homesteads, with stolen meat allegedly funneled to butcheries through complicit traders—an evolution that complicates enforcement and traceability for regulators and consumers alike. Murkomen framed the push as both a law-and-order priority and an economic one: stabilising a vital asset base for smallholders and restoring confidence for downstream buyers.

Tensions in the county have been high. Murkomen acknowledged farmer anger, referencing recent unrest in Kinangop Constituency after three suspects accused of cattle theft died while in police custody—an episode that preceded the burning of Ndunyu Njeru Police Station, according to authorities. He urged residents to eschew vigilante reprisals and allow investigators and the courts to build cases that expose wider networks. “No one should take the law into their own hands,” he said.

Beyond livestock theft, the ministry is also probing stolen National ID cards in the area. Replacements are being issued, Murkomen said, warning that anyone found misusing stolen identities will face prosecution.

Why it matters: Livestock remains a key store of value and cash-flow buffer for rural households. Theft spikes translate into income shocks, higher informal security costs, and potential retail price distortions if illicit meat enters the market. A sustained enforcement drive—paired with community reporting, cold-chain audits, and butchery compliance checks—could help restore confidence across the county’s micro-economy while reducing the incentive for criminal networks.