Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen/HANDOUT
The government is in the process of deploying technology to enhance traceability of stolen livestock as a way of curbing rustling in Turkana and other parts of the country where such cases are rampant.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen revealed Wednesday that a Geographic Information System (GIS) has been developed and currently being tested before it is rolled out.
According to Murkomen, the system was developed by a consulting firm, Jibu Cyber Solutions, contracted by the government to come up with an ideal software and infrastructure for livestock registration, movement tracking, and ownership verification.
The National Police Service (NPS), he said, established a committee to oversee its implementation together with the developer to ensure it meets all the requirements.
“The process has reached an advanced stage, with public participation planned to allow Jibu Cyber Solutions to conduct a proof of concept,” said Murkome.
The system is set to be rolled out in three counties in the Rift Valley and four others in the Eastern region, he stated.
“This will test the feasibility, impact, and adaptability of the GIS-based cattle tracking technology, which will be integrated with real-time monitoring,” he explained.
The CS was responding to a question by Turkana Senator James Lomen when he appeared before the Senate plenary.
Once fully implemented, he stated, the solution will be linked to the existing National Police Service infrastructure at the Integrated Control and Command Centre (IC3) to enhance security and response to livestock theft incidents.
On measures that can be implemented to enhance collaboration between Turkana, security agencies, and neighboring counties to enforce livestock identification and recovery, Murkomen acknowledged the importance of livestock marking.
He stated that his ministry, in collaboration with that of Agriculture, also formed a joint committee to oversee the implementation of the GIS.
Apart from this, they are also establishing an inter-county livestock security task force made up of security agencies, counties, and local leaders to oversee enforcement of livestock identification and tracking policies.
“Unique branding and ear-tagging for each county to ensure easy tracking and prevent the resale of stolen animals in different markets is also being adopted,” he said.
Additionally, the government, according to the CS, is introducing digital livestock databases and micro-chipping technology to improve traceability and enhance ownership verification.
“We are also strengthening livestock market regulations by introducing mandatory livestock movement permits and verification protocols at all livestock markets to prevent stolen cattle from being sold,” he explained.
