Rustlers raid in rain

By Martin Wamai

Heavy rains that pounded Laikipia after long spell of drought came with doom on Tuesday afternoon. Residents have been expecting the rains to enable them start planting. In Milango Village of Ol Moran Division Laikipia West District while people were sheltering, armed cattle rustlers raided their homes and stole animals. The rustlers suspected to be from within the area wielded guns.

Some of the villagers who had pursued rustlers

They stole two cows that belonged to a widow. The woman had just untied the calves to avoid being rained on and sheltered herself in her house. After a short while, a young man came running and reported to her that her cows had been stolen. The woman could not believe this only to jet out of the house and found that her cows were not there. She started screaming and crying for help and it touched the hearts of the villagers and motivated them to pursue the pundits. The armed rustlers shot in the air to scare away the irate residents.They were later overwhelmed in Ratia Forest and animals recovered.

In recent times cattle rustling has been on the rise in Laikipia County. This is particularly a spillover from the neighboring Baringo County where such cases has been on the rise. Just before the General Election, two men were shot and several heads of cattle stolen. The government has deployed the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) in the area but little has been done to reduce the problem.