Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has revealed that the actual financiers of the cattle rustlers in various parts of the Rift-Valley are known leaders from the affected areas.
Speaking during a Live interview on Citizen TV on Monday, February 13, the former Rift-Valley Regional Commissioner said the persons financing banditry were present during a meeting at State House Nakuru between President William Ruto and political leaders from Baringo county led by Governor Benjamin Cheboi to address peace and development agendas.
Also Read: Natembeya Says Nairobians are Funding Banditry by Eating Meat from Stolen Cows
“I looked at the body language of those leaders that the President was addressing today. Three-quarters of them were fidgeting, that should tell you something. The President was addressing culprits, people who finance this thing were sitting in that meeting,” Natembeya revealed.
In response to the three-day ultimatum given by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki for those in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition to surrender them to the state, Natembeya said the exercise will not work.
We will deal firmly with the drivers of illegal arms in the country. This is necessary and urgent, particularly in the North Rift. We must always endeavour to nurture peace for the transformation of our country. pic.twitter.com/QPWNBotpur
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) February 13, 2023
“Where we are now it is only the military that can deal with this problem. What I want to assure Kenyans is that within those three days very few people will surrender firearms if at all they do. Because each community will be waiting for the other to do so first,” the Trans Nzoia Governor said.
Natambeya further disclosed that those communities that will surrender firearms are the ones that have more than one.
“Those that will surrender the firearms are the ones that have many. You have six so you surrender one which is useless,” he said adding that he is looking forward to the start of the operation. “Tuwache hii mambo mengi ya kubembelezana na watu (let us stop pleasing people,” he concluded.
When asked why the strategies he put in place to fight banditry and cattle rustling during his tenure as the Rift-Valley Regional Commissioner did not work, Natembeya said his tactics did not bear fruit because they were never meant to.
“Every single strategy that I put in place, including disarmament, was not allowed to take effect. You know asa Regional Commissioner you are not supposed to make decisions unilaterally. You must get approval from your bosses at Harambee House,” he revealed.
Natembeya further stated that he had meetings with his seniors and political leaders from the Rift to discourse strategies to put an end to banditry only for the meetings to bear no fruits.
“We had meetings at Harambee House even with political leaders from Samburu. Even though we agreed on the date of the operation, the date came and went and nobody from Harambee House showed up,” Natembeya said.
