The Index
The Index
Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
How cattle rustling became heavily armed and highly profitable in Kenya
12 minutes Posted Aug 29, 2026 at 3:00 pm.
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Cattle rustling in Kenya's North Rift has evolved from a small-scale cultural tradition into an organised, heavily armed, and highly profitable criminal enterprise. Raids can involve hundreds of people, strip families of generational wealth, and displace entire communities. And it's no longer driven by cattle alone, but by a wider scramble for territory, political power, and access to oil, gold, and other resources. In this episode of The Index, we examine who profits from this criminal economy and why efforts to stop it have failed.

To learn more about organized crime in Kenya, visit: ocindex.net