It is a few minutes past 10 am and residents of the West Pokot-Turkana border begin to troop in for what has become an annual ritual in the past two years – to dialogue over peaceful coexistence.
Since schools are closed for holidays, many adults are relieved of their daily animal herding duties by children, although many do not attend school anyway.
Many adults are, therefore, available for the peace meeting. As has been the case in the past two years, the area MPs – Loima’s Protus Akujah and Kacheliba’s Titus Lotee – are present to give the much-needed leadership and political boost.
It has always been imagined that politicians fan violence in the semi-arid North Rift.
For decades until about two years ago, the Pokot and Turkana communities had been fighting over resources manifested in massive and frequent cattle rustling thefts.
Peace agreements were made and broken mostly before the ink on thumb print signatures dried up. Here, guns reigned supreme.
Elders agreements remained that. Word of mouth.
The youth full of energy reneged on every word the elders agreed on. After all, they needed to raid neighbouring communities to get cattle for bride prize. Who is supposed to remain a bachelor in a society where status comes with the number of wives and children? Who can afford to be a laughing stock in the village?
Even though relative lull has been witnessed for the past few years, there have been sporadic but fierce cases of cattle thefts which have led to loss of dozens of lives and livelihoods.
Last year, the Internal Security and National administration Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo held a series of meetings with leaders from the volatile North Rift region with a view to finding a lasting solution to the cattle rustling and banditry menace.
“Children cannot go to school and people cannot go about their daily business because guns in most North Rift areas cannot go silent. We have to stop this menace,” PS Omollo told them in one of the meetings at his Harambee House office.
His Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki also toured the area while leading high-level security meetings that are generally acknowledged to have yielded fruits – real fruits.
Last Saturday’s meeting at Naoyapong, Kacheliba, brought together residents of the area and Loima in Turkana. It was the second such meeting after the inaugural last year’s initiated by the two MPs who appears to have clicked in the war on cattle rustling.
Residents say the meeting was aimed at addressing the escalating tensions between the two communities, which could potentially jeopardize years of peaceful coexistence.
Community leaders and government officials underscored the importance of dialogue and collaboration in resolving conflicts and fostering unity.
The meeting marked an important milestone in cementing the relative calm that has been witnessed in the past two years and celebrating the gains achieved following the initiative of the two legislators.
Perhaps what could indicate the significance attached to peace dialogue, the meeting was graced by a cross-section of leaders, including government administrators, members of security team, local MCAs, religious leaders, kraal heads, and representatives from peace organizations.
Reformed cattle rustlers who have shunned the bad manners, like others who spoke at the meeting attached premium on dialogue and comprehensive approach to conflict resolution for sustainable peace to be realized.
Both MPs emphasized the urgent and concerted efforts need to stop violence and promote peace. MP Akujah reflected on the historical context of past conflicts and underscored the benefits of unity for development and societal wellbeing.
He pointed out that a few individuals exacerbated the issues and advocated for their accountability under the law.
MP Lotee echoed these sentiments, calling for collaboration and the promotion of peace initiatives to attract investments in the area.
“The two of us (MPs) are here to show that we are united in fighting cattle fights,” he said to applause.
The meeting made resolutions aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence among communities in the area. They include the strategy for compensation for loss of lives and animals, recovery of stolen animals and arrest of suspects to face the law.
Others included resolution of border disputes and addressing concerns about gold mining at Naut and resolutions on animal markets.
Dr Omollo was full of praise the two leaders for initiating and sustaining structured dialogue between the two communities.
“What Hon Akujah and Hon Lotee have done is quite commendable. I am happy they implemented what we agreed upon last year as part of our strategy aimed at sustainable peace in the area,” he said. “I know there are many such peace and conflict resolution initiatives in other parts of the country. I urge all leaders to play an active role in bringing our people together. My office fully supports these efforts.”
