Nairobi — Livestock owners in parts of Eastern and North Eastern provinces have lost their animals as rustling soars due to post-election violence.

Cattle rustlers have struck in Isiolo, Samburu and Meru North districts. Reports say more than 1,000 animals have been stolen in the last three weeks.

About 900 animals have reportedly been stolen from Meru North and Samburu in the last three weeks. It is not clear who the raiders are. Each side blamed the other for the theft.

On Friday the provincial administration and elders from the affected areas called a peace meeting. However, the deliberations held at Archers Post, Samburu, ended in disarray when some DOs started engaging in a war of words.

Police said the 'well co-ordinated and heavily armed raiders' overwhelmed them.

Mr Philip Kang'ethe, Mutuati DO, in Meru North, complained that police in Samburu were uncooperative in efforts to fight cattle rustling.

The administrator lamented that the bandits stole 230 head of cattle last December and the animals are now grazing near West Gate in Samburu District.

The DO in Waso, Samburu, Mr Issac Salat, said he required a helicopter in order to pursue the raiders and recover the stolen animals from Isiolo and Meru North.

The other DOs protested that that their colleague was ignorant of the plight of more than 30 families that had lost their livestock to the raiders.

Salat said raiders had taken advantage of the confusion due to the post-election chaos to strike.