Implement Ogongo Commission Report to Settle Meru-Isiolo Border Rustling- Ombudsman

By Dennis Dibondo

Zachary Ogongo commission report should be implemented to end cattle rustling in Meru-Isiolo Border as a way to tame banditry along the border.

Commission on Administrative Justice (Office of the Ombudsman) Chairperson Florence Kajuju said failure to implement the report has also created land disputes in Meru Isiolo and Tharaka Nithi.

Kajuju said they have written to various government ministries to question why the Zachary Ogongo has not been implemented.

She spoke on Tuesday in North Imenti Constituency after meeting pastoralists from Meru County.

 “The views we have gathered is that if that report is implemented the conflicts that has been having constantly over time can be resolved. We are taking that up with government and public officers,” she said.

The late Ogongo's commission investigated the border dispute back in 2007 and came up with various recommendations to end the frequent clashes, some of which were bloody.

Among the recommendations was the idea of a joint land adjudication team comprising members from the two counties with intimate knowledge of the area.

Kajuju, formerly Meru Women Representative said cattle rustling is high especially in Igembe that borders Isiolo.

She said people held culpable of cattle rustling should be arrested and prosecuted.

“They should be given hefty penalties to tame the vice and discourage others,” she said.

She said they have opened an office in Meru town and where residents can report their grievances.

“We want to educate residents and create a lot of awareness about our office so that they can come and report injustices,” Kajuju said.

Meru County Pastoralists chairman Charles Kamwibua said they have been having a series of cattle theft from September last year resulting to lost of about 2625 cows.

He said the bandits are from Samburu and Isiolo counties.

“We have tried to recover the animals but we haven’t been successful the recent attack was on July 26 where a young man was lost,” he said. 

He said a phone was recovered and it was traced to have made contacts in Samburu.

Kamwibua said the armoured vehicles that were initiated by the Interior CS Kithure Kindiki last year have not been of much help.

“The pastoralists who lost their animals are now languishing in poverty,” Kamwibua said.

He said one suspect was arrested with recent raids and the firearm he was using recovered.

Kamwibua said the operation issued by CS Kindiki last year hasn’t been actualized.