Residents of two wards in Nyandarua County have been left in utter shock at a worrying trend involving the mysterious theft and deaths of their livestock.
The thieves, who have been targeting widows and senior citizens in Kiriita and Leshaupondo wards, use a chemical to impale the livestock before making away with some animal parts.
According to residents of the two wards, the culprits tend to target cows, goats, and at times chickens.
However, on most occasions, the use of the chemicals on the animals has disastrous repercussions as a majority of the livestock end up succumbing to the toxins.
This dynamic has left locals extremely worried with some questioning whether the culprits' goal is to steal livestock or poison area residents.
Further, alarm has been raised by area leaders over a possible sale of contaminated meat from animals which the culprits made away with after exposing them to the chemicals.
"They're using very dangerous chemicals to kill these animals," one MCA noted. "So we want to urge the community to buy beef from secure butcheries. Health officers must also be careful not to buy meat which is not inspected."
Kiriita Ward MCA Milka Wanjiru Ndirangu also noted the risk the intoxicated animals posed since the pests and insects also avoided the carcasses.
"We don't know what will happen when it rains and these chemicals come into contact with water for domestic use. It's a health hazard," she said.
Incidentally, the Nyandarua incident is not an isolated one, with the trend of contaminated meat becoming all too rampant in the country.
in August, Bomet County Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Serem Wilson exposed a dangerous syndicate embroiled in the illegal trade of sick and dying cattle after at least 11 cattle were transported to neighbouring regions for sale.
The group was in the business of buying, slaughtering, and subsequently selling meat from sick cattle to unsuspecting consumers, mainly in urban areas.
In February this year, several people from five villages in Kahumbu ward, Kigumo Constituency, Murang'a were admitted in various hospitals after consuming a cow that was dying from anthrax.
