Mwea East Sub-County Police Commander Henry Gitonga said four of the 21 stolen animals had already been slaughtered, while one remains missing.

Police recovered 14 cows at Murubara slaughter slab and another two in Kimicha, following a trail by Narok farmers who tracked the stolen livestock across several locations.

Gitonga said two suspects, including a butcher operating in Ngurubani town and an alleged accomplice, were arrested and transferred to Narok Police Station on Monday night, where the theft had initially been reported.

The recovery came after the affected farmers followed the trail of their missing animals from Narok through Suswa to Kamburu, where they obtained the registration number of a vehicle allegedly used to transport the cattle.

Led by John Sosio, the farmers said they had been pursuing the stolen livestock since Saturday before tracing them to Kirinyaga, where they positively identified the animals at Murubara slaughter slab.

Sosio said they reported the theft to Narok Police Station and used CCTV footage to track the vehicle suspected of transporting the cattle.

He claimed the footage helped establish the vehicle's movements as the farmers continued their search across county boundaries.

“We are happy we have recovered 16 cows,” Sosio said, while expressing concern over the animals that remain unaccounted for.

The farmers alleged that the theft could involve a wider syndicate operating between Narok and Kirinyaga, with suspected dealers, buyers and transporters playing different roles.

According to Sosio, a dealer from Kirinyaga allegedly hires a vehicle to collect cattle from Narok, while a buyer provides fuel for the transportation. He also alleged that a woman from Narok was involved in the network, claims that have not been independently verified.

Sosio further claimed that the principal suspect, whom he accused of coordinating the theft in Narok, had escaped.

The recovery has raised concern among residents of Kirinyaga, who said cattle theft had become a major problem in the area and expressed shock that suspected livestock thieves were now targeting farmers beyond the county.

“We are crying a lot over theft; now they have crossed over to Narok. What a joke,” residents at Murubara slaughter slab said.

The farmers urged residents of Narok to remain vigilant and called for further investigations to establish the whereabouts of the missing animal and identify other people who may have been involved in the alleged theft.

Police investigations are ongoing.