Isiolo County commissioner orders police to shoot people found carrying illegal firearms

Isiolo County Commissioner George Natembeya has issued a shoot-to-kill order on people found carrying illegal firearms.

The move is intended to stem rising insecurity in the county, mainly attributed to incessant cases of cattle rustling.

Mr Natembeya said no weapons were surrendered to authorities during the amnesty offered by the government recently.

Pastoralists who possess guns were also required to register them.

He ordered police to shoot people found carrying illegal firearms, saying security officers were also in danger when they encountered the rustlers.

“We don’t want to experience what officers in Baragoi went through. The government and police should be respected,” he cautioned during a peace meeting in Isiolo.

DISARMAMENT POSTPONED

The commissioner said a major disarmament exercise that was to start this week has been postponed until next week "due to some emergencies".

At least 50 people have died and others have been injured in the last six months following cattle rustling and inter-community clashes.

The commissioner said police had already mapped out cattle rustling-prone areas and where illegal arms are hidden.

“We want peace and there is no other option than to stop the use of illegal arms by morans,” said the commissioner.

He warned those selling the weapons to stop or face the law.

He said investigations had been launched to arrest suspected business people engaging in the illegal sale of firearms.

He urged locals to surrender illegal weapons for peace to prevail.