Nairobi — Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has vowed a renewed fight against cattle rustlers and bandits that have continued to wreak havoc in parts of the North Rift region.
Kindiki who made the remarks Monday likened cattle rustling to crimes against humanity hence the need for more decisive action.
"Banditry has assumed not just an economic dimension but it continues to take new dimensions and increasingly it is appearing that what is happening in the Northern part of this country would very easily constitute crimes against humanity," he said.
To address this, the Interior CS said that the government is deploying a multi-faceted and multi-agency response.
He further stated that the government will pursue financiers and beneficiaries of the cattle rustling menace which has led to deaths and mass displacement of hundreds of citizens.
"We are coming to dismantle not only the criminals themselves but also to bring down the entire chain that has been the cattle and livestock rustling industry," he added.
He added that the government will follow up on the policy directives and the commitment made by President William Ruto during his recent visit to Samburu and Turkana counties to rid the country of criminal gangs.
"We are rolling out an unprecedented response against criminals and we are going to go to their hideouts, we will look for the criminals and do to them what the law says we do to criminals in accordance with the law of our country and all other applicable international laws,"
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The Interior CS stated that the government will conduct a sustained security response to get rid of the criminals in the country.
Five days ago, the Interior CS met with leaders from West Pokot and Baringo counties to discuss measures to tackle perennial insecurity that has plagued parts of the North Rift region.
The Ministry of Interior and National Administration (MINA) said the meeting which was attended by among other leaders Tiaty MP William Kamket and his Pokot South counterpart David Pkosing was in line with the presidential directive on hastening an end to cattle rustling and banditry in the North Rift and other parts of the country.
"Interior CS Kithure Kindiki this morning hosted leaders from West Pokot County and the neighboring Tiaty constituency in Baringo County for discussions on effective ways to combat cattle rustling and related challenges in their region," MINA reported.
The rising cases of insecurity in the North Rift have led to the loss of hundreds of lives, displacement of residents, and loss of thousands of livestock.
