Leaders from Isiolo, Marsabit, and Samburu are looking for solutions to the deadly clashes caused by competition for scarce resources, such as pasture.
The three counties whose residents are predominantly pastoralists have come up with a clear framework to address the conflicts.
The communities have been at odds for a long time, resulting in fatalities, destruction of property, and evictions mainly triggered by boundary disputes and competition for pasture and water.
Leaders and residents from the three counties gathered in Isiolo for a stakeholders’ consultative forum on peace building and cohesion, organised by the Frontier Counties Development Council to address the recurring issue and find a long-term solution.
The talks underlined the importance of fostering meaningful development through harmonious coexistence. Isiolo county commissioner Geoffrey Omoding urged leaders to collaborate on peace-building efforts, adding that doing so would raise awareness and discourage young people from engaging in cattle rustling.
He praised Isiolo county’s efforts in promoting peace, noting that collaboration among leaders has yielded results over time.
The national government will work with local authorities to recover stolen animals and apprehend those responsible for cattle rustling in an effort to end the problem. James Kamau, the commissioner for Marsabit county, urged non-governmental organisations to include a peace component in their initiatives.
This will keep young people and women away from outdated cultural practices, improve cooperation amongst the major players and address alternative livelihood opportunities for microfinance support.
Mohamed Boru, Isiolo’s Deputy County Secretary in Charge of NGO coordination, said the forum, which brought together key actors, also focused on partnership, collaboration, and resource mobilisation to facilitate and embrace community coexistence.
“We are working on ways to provide alternative livelihood and empowerment programs as a longterm intervention to increase the engagement of youth, women, and elders in peace building processes,” Boru said.
Dubat Amey, an elder, asked the government to launch a comprehensive disarmament programme targeting pastoralists, adding that when conflicts arise, guns in the wrong hands are typically the source of deaths and serious injuries.
He also urged harsh measures against political figures who had developed a practice of inciting their communities to war.