The government has ordered fresh vetting of foreign nationals from Burundi, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Uganda’s Wagisu community residing in West Pokot County, following the arrest of 13 individuals linked to acts of cannibalism and human organ harvesting.

West Pokot County Commissioner Khalif Abdullahi, speaking to journalists on Tuesday afternoon, said the decision was made during a meeting by the county’s security committee, which resolved to scrutinize all suspected foreign residents in the area.

“The county security committee in its meeting has directed to vet all aliens from Burundi, Rwanda, Congo and the Wagisu Community who are all suspected to have been involved in this hideous crime of cannibalism and harvesting of human organs,” he said.

He explained that the suspects, who are believed to be residing in Kapenguria, Makutano, and Bendera areas, would undergo fresh screening by the respective sub-county security committees.

“To be vetted afresh by the sub-county security committee so that we know their intentions here in Kapenguria, Makutano and Bendera areas,” he added.

While reaffirming Kenya’s commitment to the East African Community and the principles of regional integration, Abdullahi made it clear that national security remained a top priority.

“We respect the spirit of East African cooperation — we have free movement of our people — however, all suspects are from Uganda, from one community of Wagisu, and therefore we are taking these staunch measures to establish their stay here and their activities,” he noted.

According to the County Commissioner, the prime suspects — who have reportedly confessed to killing and consuming human corpses — had been living illegally on a road reserve in Bendera, which will now be repossessed by the state.

“The prime suspects who have confessed to killing and eating the corpses were living along a road reserve within Bendera and today I have directed that this road reserve be reclaimed. We are going to flatten all those structures they were living in within Bendera by the close of business today,” he said.

Abdullahi also disclosed that police had intercepted a group of youths who had allegedly planned to storm the Kapenguria Police Station, free the suspects, and set the facility ablaze.

“We have also thwarted attempts by youths who had planned to march to Kapenguria Police Station to free and release the suspected cannibals and to torch the station. We want to caution all the youths planning these criminal activities of torching a police station; these are public utilities constructed by your taxes,” he warned.

He further issued a stern warning to politicians accused of inciting the public, vowing that such actions would not go unpunished.

“I want to urge and caution all politicians who are inciting the youths to violence — we are going to prosecute them,” he said.

Abdullahi confirmed that police had gathered enough evidence and that the suspects would be held for three weeks to allow further investigations to proceed.

He said the court had already given the prosecution 21 days to detain the suspects as detectives continue piecing together the evidence required for successful prosecution.