Seizure of arms cache stirs up sleepy town

Quiet Narok finally hits the headlines,
but for all the
wrong reasons

Despite its proximity to the capital and being the gateway to the world famous Maasai Mara game reserve, Narok has remained a quiet, dusty and sleepy town.

Not even the ongoing wrangling about the conservation of the Mau Forest have stirred it up.

But things changed on December 7, last year. On that day, Narok was thrown into the spotlight when a large cache of ammunition and military hardware were discovered right in the middle of the town.

Broadcast media went live with the news of the huge recovery, with journalists reporting from the scene of the recovery. Newspapers splashed the news the following day.

Six guns, 100,000 rounds of ammunition, military boots and other gear had been found at the home of a resident. The bullets haul could, it was reported, run a big city police station for a whole year!

It was now the turn of the residents to find out more about the man from whose home the weapons were recovered.

Mr Munir Ishmael, 36, is from a wealthy family, but he never flaunted his privileged background. He participated in local social functions and at one time almost married a local girl. The man is associated with a number of businesses, including petrol retailing and long range transport of goods.

Throughout December and January the town basked in unwanted limelight as the case against Mr Ishmael and his co-accused came before court.

Another cache

Then last Sunday word went round again that another cache of arms had been discovered at Mr Ishmael’s garage.

Shocked wananchi flocked to the garage in the town centre to see the munitions. But their attempts were rebuffed by heavily armed police officers. Journalists camped at the premises hoping to take pictures in vain.

Police officers guarded the premises throughout Sunday night, insisting that the containers would only be opened after the arrival of Mr Ishmael and top police bosses.

On Monday, there were rumours that Mr Ishmael’s other premises at Lenana in the northern suburb of the town harboured even more arms.

Journalists kept shuffling between the new station and the garage in the town for the better part of the day not knowing when the containers would be opened.

At around 3pm, a police helicopter began circling the town, bringing business to a standstill. Residents who earlier minded their own business closed shop and thronged the action scene.