Give me back my cows, Borabu granny pleads with security agencies

A government-led operation to flush out cattle rustlers from the Kisii, Nyamira, Narok and Bomet counties borders from 2018 to-date, has seen reduced conflicts in the region. Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i who comes from Borabu, an epicentre for cattle rustling, announced a major operation in 2018, which residents say has borne fruit.

Borabu has been the headquarters of the crime that has seen hardworking farmers lose their only source of livelihood.

This is where cattle rustling perpetrators coordinate their activities, leaving residents of the four counties who are mostly farmers, helpless and poorer.

Perennial border conflicts have been the order of the day in the region. Communities living around here have turned against each other, engaging in bloody wars as they fight to protest one, two or three stolen cows.

Four counties

For years, tribal conflicts characterised Borabu where the Kipsigis and Kisii communities who share the borders of the four counties, could not see eye to eye.

Due to State intervention, residents can now have peaceful nights knowing their livestock is safe.

But it is said that good things come with a price. Though this operation has been described by many as fruitful, there are people who have suffered and lost as security agencies flushed out criminals.

At the height of the 2018 operation, Rucy Chebet Sale says she lost 17 cows to security agencies from Borabu.

The 60-year-old granny says she remembers the events of November 23, 2018 like they happened yesterday. This is the day the security agencies invaded her Pimbinyet village in Kilgoris Constituency, Narok County at 6am. They walked away with all her cows.

“My herd of 17 cows worth Sh1.8 million was driven away by security personnel from Manga Police Station in Borabu Constituency,” says Ms Sale, a widow.

Her family has written to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority over their fate, seeking help to recover their lost cattle.

They also reported the ‘taking away’ of their cattle by security officials at Abosi Police Station, which was registered under OB 6/23/11/2018.

House torched

The mother of four says that on the fateful day, the security officers stormed a home where she had sought refuge after her house was torched in the Kipsigis-Maasai border clashes in Kilgoris.

“The officers identified two cows, which they said had been stolen from Manga Sub-county. They drove away the entire herd at the homestead, including my 17 cows. My only mistake was seeking refuge at the homestead, but police ignored my plea of innocence,” laments Ms Sale.

She says one of her neighbour’s sons was allegedly involved in the theft of the two cows and was not at home when the police came. The officers said they would only release the cattle they took once the suspect is handed over to them.

“The suspect was later arrested after he committed another crime in Bomet. He is currently serving a jail term for cattle theft in 2019,” says Ms Sale.

But even after his arrest, police declined to return her cows and have been taking her in circles.

“The last time I visited Manga Police Station, I was harassed by the officers. I want to know where they took my 17 cows and why they have subjected me to this suffering. They know too well that they took my only source of livelihood,” she says.

She notes that it hurts her that those supposed to protect her have turned to be her tormentors.

Rogue officers

“Police officers are supposed to protect us according to our constitution. How come these ones are doing exactly the opposite? Where is humanity?” she wonders while calling on Interior CS to intervene and help her get back her cows.

She says: “We are grateful to Dr Matiang’i for bringing sanity in Borabu and along our borders by ending cattle rustling. But I am sure the operation was not meant to hurt widows. I am pleading with him to tame the few rogue officers who spoil the otherwise, good name of our security forces.”

Ms Sale says she has spent sleepless nights for the past two years thinking about her missing cattle.

“The last time I visited the Manga Police Station, the OCS harassed me telling me that even though the person involved in the theft of the two cows from Manga had been arrested and jailed, the police were still investigating whether the 17 cows were also stolen,” says the granny.

Ms Sale’s 40-year-old firstborn son, says their family lost their only source of livelihood and that things have never been the same since. They had thought the security officers would return their cows once they confirm they were not stolen.

Pimbinyet Location Chief John Rono, says Borabu security agencies implemented the raid and asked Ms Sale to follow up with them.

“It is true that security agencies took away Ms Sale’s cows in an operation to recover two lost ones from Borabu. But she should follow up with the officers there,” says Mr Rono.

When contacted, Borabu Sub-county Police Commander Malumbe Mukunzi, said he was barely one-month-old at the station and was not in a position to comment on the alleged detaining of 17 cows by police officers at Manga Police Station.

“I will have to go through the records before commenting on the matter, and this will take some time,” said Mr Mukunzi.

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