Igembe North MP Julius Taitumu has dismissed the ongoing Operation Dumisha Usalama in the Northern Grazing Zone as ineffective terming it as a mockery to the intelligence of the Meru people.
He accused the government of protecting the bandits who have already killed people and stolen livestock.
He claimed credible evidence point that the stolen livestock from Meru County has been traced to Samburu East yet no action has been taken against the suspects.
Speaking in Parliament, MP Taitumu said it is ironical to here a member say there has been no cattle rustling in the area yet the bandits have been raiding almost on daily basis for the last three years.
” I have been raising it because it is an emotive issue. It is ironical to here a member say there has been no cattle rustling happening in Meru. Samburu people have been raiding our livestock day in day out for the last three years. The operation is ineffective and a mockery to the intelligence of the Meru people,” said MP Taitumu.
He challenged the Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to table in Parliament evidence of how many cases have been prosecuted in Samburu where the livestock have been held.
He explained that every week there must be a raid in Meru where the cattle are escorted through River Ewaso Nyiro before being held up at Mlima Bendera area in Samburu East.
“Every week there must be a raid in Meru. The cows are drawn across River Ewaso Nyiro to Mlima Bendera which is being mentioned from time to time.
My question is, where is Mlima Bendera located? In Uganda or Tanzania? The cows are being held there. The exercise is a mockery and not an operation,” said Taitumu.
He accused the government of being lenient with the bandits and challenged it to lay bare the facts in order to establish who has been stealing livestock from who.
The lawmaker said all the cows stolen from the Northern Grazing Zone are being held up in Samburu East noting there are no cases of Meru raiding their neighbours.
“Unfortunately the government has been very lenient with them. Time has come for the government to lay bare the facts to know who has been raiding animals from who.
There are no cases of Samburu trying to recover their livestock in Meru. Samburu East is where all the stolen animals are being held up,” said the MP.
