Seven individuals have been arrested in Bahati following investigations into a livestock theft network connected to illegal meat trade operations in Nakuru town, according to local police authorities.
Syndicate Operations Exposed ¶
Police confirmed the existence of an organized syndicate involving butchers, financiers, and transporters who facilitate the illegal movement of stolen livestock. The network reportedly channels stolen animals to licensed slaughterhouses before distributing meat through regional markets.
Det. Gen. Edward Wafula revealed that suspects were apprehended after a tip-off, with investigators seizing a vehicle used in transporting the animals. The accused now face charges in Nakuru court, marking one of several ongoing cases in the region.
Regional Impact and Violence ¶
Livestock thefts have persisted across multiple counties including Nyandarua, Narok, Laikipia, and Baringo. Recent incidents have escalated tensions, with ethnic clashes reported in Olposimoru last year that left one dead and 32 injured.
A senior police officer told the Nation that investigations are targeting abattoirs linked to cattle rustling, seeking to identify financiers who supply illegal firearms and vehicles to raiders. The police chief emphasized efforts to dismantle the syndicates, calling them a primary source of insecurity in the North Rift and Laikipia areas.
Calls for Parliamentary Inquiry ¶
A Nakuru-based advocacy group has urged lawmakers to examine the meat trade's role in fueling violence. People's Power Watch chairman Jesse Karanja accused unscrupulous traders of exacerbating conflicts through their involvement in livestock theft, particularly in border regions between Nakuru and Narok counties.
