The Njuri Ncheke Council of elders have called on the government to tame banditry in Meru North and arrest killers of five people early this week failure to which they will lead demonstrations.
On Monday and Tuesday five people were killed and six injured during a raid at Njaruine village in Igembe North and more than 300 cattle were stolen.
Njuri Ncheke chairman Linus Kathera said about 11 people have been shot dead in separate raids along the Isiolo-Meru border in the last one month, poking holes in the state of security in the region.
Mr Kathera, who was flanked by the council leadership, said about 1000 cattle have been stolen during the same period.
Addressing journalists in Meru town, the elders blamed the situation on failure by the government to provide sufficient police officers and vehicles in the banditry prone parts of Meru.
“We are saddened that the government has not found it fit to deploy enough police officers in the Meru North where bandits keep attacking.
The police posts in the area have about three officers and the police commander does not have vehicles. How do they expect a few police officers to face off with more than 50 bandits,” Mr Kathera posed.
He said this week’s attack comes a few days after Interior CS Kithure Kindiki pledged to deploy 200 police reservists.
“The few police reservists we have are now being killed by the bandits. We are demanding that the government acts with speed else we will march to Prof Kindiki’s home to get security. The five who were killed this week will not be laid to rest until the suspects are brought to book,” he said.
He said residents who do farming near the grazing areas have also abandoned their farms due to insecurity.
