Elders, herders meet to end conflicts in restive Kerio

Elders, herders and peace committees from the banditry prone counties in the North Rift have embarked on intergenerational dialogue meetings to promote peaceful co-existence in the region.

Through the Integrated Management of Natural Resources for Resilience in the ASALs (IMARA) project, the cross border grazing committees drawn from the warring Pokot, Turkana and Marakwet communities have been created to promote peace.

The theory of “resource scarcity” dominates the debate on “banditry” in pastoral areas, where conflicts among communities have traditionally been linked to competition over scarce resources and invariably drought because of its role in resource depletion.

But now, a committee of 20 members from the warring communities has been formed to engage headers and elders in conflict resolution in a bid to come up with grazing patterns and shun wrangles over pasture, water and other resources.

The presence of armed groups has hindered access to grazing areas with instances of targeted raids and destruction of property being reported often.

According to Safer World Programmes Manager Elizabeth Atieno, they have come up with conflict management programmes in West Pokot, Turkana and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.

“Elders and herders who are the real combatants have not been meeting one on one but we are happy they have come together even with Government officers and other stakeholders. We want to disarm them psychologically after listening to their grievances,” Atieno noted. She added that herders and elders in the troubled Kerio Valley region are now reviving traditional mechanisms and grazing patterns to fight banditry and cattle rustling.

“Inside the IMARA programme supported by the embassy of Sweden we make sure peace prevails in the region,”  said Atieno.

Samuel Kosgei from the Peace and Justice organisation said they offer capacity building to the communities on alternative dispute resolution.

He said cattle rustling menace has been escalated with effects of climate change.

“Small arms, light weapons and ammunition are used and produced locally,” he said.

Samson Toilem, an elder, called on the Government to disarm all warring neighbouring communities, citing that long dry spells have resulted in increased resource based conflict among different pastoral communities.