At least two suspects were attacked and lynched by a mob in a botched cattle rustling incident in Mwea, Kirinyaga County.
The area has been experiencing a rise in cases of cattle rustling prompting herders to keep vigil overnight.
Police said the lynching happened on Sunday August 31 in Murubara area.
The men were found with two knives.
The villagers stoned them to death and set the bodies on fire. Police arrived there and moved the bodies to the mortuary.
Cases of stealing of livestock have been on the rise in the area amid calls for action to address the menace.
Most livestock are stolen at night and slaughtered before being sold to unsuspecting butchery dealers.
Police said they are extending the operation to other places including Nairobi which is the biggest consumer of such livestock.
The incidents have led to huge loses by farmers in the areas.
This came as police launched a major hunt on gangs behind the trend of cattle rustling in the region.
Detectives arrested 12 individuals in connection with a series of livestock theft incidents that have significantly affected the Central and Eastern regions.
These thefts have resulted in substantial financial losses for farmers and have disrupted their primary source of livelihood.