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100,000 Guns in Wrong Hands

The Nation (Nairobi)
NEWS
October 26, 2004
Posted to the web October 26, 2004

By Peter Lemeteki And Macharia Wa Mwati
Nairobi
There are more than 100,000 illegally acquired firearms in Samburu, Baringo and
Turkana districts, according to a census done in the region.
Samburu district peace committee chairman, Mr Moses Lenairoshi, who is also a
district security committee member, said the figures may be higher than what is
officially known.
He said illegal firearms had frustrated Government efforts to stamp out cattle
rustling that had claimed many lives.
He told elders from the three districts at Maralal Town on Sunday local leaders
had resolved to use village elders to eradicate illegal weapons.
Mr Lenairoshi urged them to help the Government in eliminating the crime by
giving the names of individuals involved in cattle rustling.
He said the Government would build a road at Nashola Marti Village to make
tracking of stolen animals easier.
The elders blamed illiteracy for increased cattle rustling and resolved that
tough measures should be taken against those involved in banditry.
They praised the Catholic Church for preaching peace and reconciliation in the
affected areas.
Elsewhere, police in Murang'a yesterday gunned down a member of a four-man gang
and arrested another.
The incident occurred between Karuri and Gathinja trading centres on the
Murang'a-Kangema road.
Police later mounted a search for the two suspects who escaped on foot.
The officers recovered two pistols and a car which bore two different
registration numbers, KAP 199J on the front and its windscreen and KAK 199 J on
the rear.
CID officers also recovered a driving licence belonging to the suspect who was
shot dead.
Local police boss Rose Mbae praised officers attached to the Kirogi police
station for foiling the gang's planned robberies.
Earlier, Mr Peter Mwaniki, a distributor of Nation Media Group titles said the
suspects had trailed his car from Murang'a Town.
"We were alerted about the robbers when we reached Karuri trading centre," he
said.
Said Mr Mwaniki who operates on the route daily: "It is by God's grace that we
narrowly escaped falling into the hands of the robbers."
Following the shooting scores of local people and motorists jammed the scene of
the incident and at one time the huge crowd demanded to be allowed to "deal"
with the man was arrested.
The irate mob was overheard shouting "give us this man so that we can lynch him
because these are the people who have been causing terror in this area."
And following the demand police were forced to hurriedly drive the man away
while CID officers continued with their investigations.

   

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