By Gerald Mukembu
Pastoralist communities from Chari and Ngaremara wards of Isiolo County, Waso Ward in Samburu County and Laisamis ward in Marsabit County that share a common boundary have signed a peace pact to put to an end perennial conflict.
This follows a three-day stakeholder’s forum convened by the Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC), a regional economic bloc that consists of 10 county governments in the pastoral region of Northern Kenya through a program named Resilient Approaches in Natural Rangeland Ecosystems (RANGE).
Community Representatives from the four wards reiterated the importance of collective responsibility among all stakeholders to ensure that the culture of cattle rustling, and unnecessary killings which result in endless revenge missions are ended forthwith. They emphasized on community policing initiatives which will help identify adversaries within the respective communities and sharing information with relevant Government authorities to ensure timely action to prevent conflicts and punish law breakers.
Chari ward MCA Mejja Golicha and Samburu community elder Joseph Lekalkuli from Waso ward raised concerns over inaction by the Government to get rid of a criminal hideout at a place called “Lantana” in Samburu East constituency, where armed bandits from various communities and counties have allegedly made their habitat. They called for swift action by security agencies to ensure that the said criminal hide out is destroyed, and the young men who live there disguising as herders relocate back to their home areas so that their movements are also monitored by their respective community members.
Isiolo County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding however took a swipe at security officers who often retreat when clashes with armed bandits ensue while tracking stolen livestock, arguing that the move to retreat glorifies attackers and emboldens them to continue conducting raids.
Clerics and leaders after signing the peace agreement
He said that rather than retreating, the officers should ask for adequate reinforcement including deployment of planes and drones for aerial presence when engaging the armed criminals. The administrator noted that the government has already provided armored vehicles to protect police officers in the line of duty and was ready to deploy all manner of weapons to defeat armed bandits including bombs that will neutralize the criminals and their hide outs.
FCDC’s RANGE Programme Manager Saiyana Lempara expressed optimism that with all major stakeholders including morans, minority groups and women getting aboard, the peace building process will bear the intended fruits, calling upon each and every member of the community to actively play their role in a bid to ensure that sustainable peace is realized.
Josephine Muli, from the Turkana community in Ngaremara ward called for deliberate measures to ensure that all children from the pastoral region go to school and get an education, arguing that the move is the surest way to end criminal activities like cattle rustling which is the biggest trigger to perennial conflicts, endless revenge missions and unnecessary loss of lives. She appealed to mothers to get close to their sons, so that they get to know their movements, so that they do not engage in crime without the knowledge of their parents.
The Community representatives including morans, women and elders from the pastoralist communities of Borana, Samburu, Turkana and Rendille who are inhabitants of the region, as well as County Government Leaders from the three Counties as well as National Government administrators all signed the peace pact, with religious leaders also getting on board as witnesses.
