Narok County government on Tuesday seized over 200 cows that were loitering in Narok town and its environs.
Speaking to the press, the county enforcement officer Rabiko Longo said all the cows held were unattended and were damaging and/or eating traders' goods.
“We are asking the residents to move their animals from the town,” he said.
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The cows are currently held at the county farmyard awaiting their owners to claim them with a Sh200 fine for each head.
Benjamin Ole Sankok whose two cows were seized opposed the move, saying the cows have been grazing in the town for decades and he had never received any report that they cause havoc.
Sankok said they had not been given notice to withdraw their animals from the town.
“I have never received any report from anyone that my cows have caused any damage in the town. Why should the county government withdraw the animals without any notice?” asked Ole Sankok.
Jackson Ole Taga said the government should have consulted the town stakeholders first before seizing the cows.
“Why do they arrest our cows instead of arresting the owners? They should let the cows go to graze and drink water freely because no one gave us a notice of arrest,” an angry Ole Taga said.
But most residents lauded the county government for driving the livestock from the busy town, saying they cause commotion.
“The cows mainly survive on our goods. I recall last week they ate 10kgs of tomatoes that I had just brought for sale,” said a trader who sought anonymity.
During Jamhuri day celebrations in 2019, Narok Town MCA Bernard Torome asked the cow owners to withdraw their livestock from the town.
“I know the Maasai community love livestock. I too have many cows but there is no day I will bring them to town. I request everyone with a livestock loitering in town to withdraw them and go milk them at their homes,” said Torome.
