Kisii: Chicken thieves haunt villagers

 

Nyamariba village in Kisii. 

Residents of Nyamariba area in Kitutu Chache North sub-county, Kisii, are living in fear after thieves turned the village into their playground.

In the past month, several homes have been broken into, with the thieves who strike at night when everyone is a sleep, making away with chicken and foodstuff like flour and cooking oil.

The thieves have reportedly broken into over 10 homes, stealing an unknown number of chicken, leaving owners crying foul.

"We are literally living in fear because you don't know when they will strike. Sometimes we are forced to stay awake to protect what we have," Julius Monari, a resident of Nyamariba, said.

Monari is one of those whose home was invaded, with the thieves making away with his goats and chicken.

Nearby, Ferdinand Onsongo is counting loses after the thieves stealthily broke into his kitchen and made away with 50 chicken, flour and cooking oil.

Onsongo says he only realised in the morning when he went to open the cage only to find it open.

"I had spent my savings to rear the chicken, but someone was watching me and now I am left with nothing," a bitter Onsongo narrated.

What has perplexed the residents is how the thieves steal the chicken without raising alarm. Ordinarily, chicken will cluck upon touching them, but the thieves have mastered the art of stealing hundreds of them without raising alarm.

Most residents are now forced to spend the night in the same house with their chicken for fear of losing them to the thieves.

They have called on authorities to act swiftly and end the menace.

by CITIZEN DIGITAL