Fresh push to end conflict in border region

Officials from Kenya and Uganda have vowed to implement a deal to curb conflict between communities living along the border of the two countries.

A joint border commissioners’ delegation, in its bid to tackle cross-border attacks, signed an agreement to govern relations between the two neighbouring states on how to handle competition for pasture, marine resources and control of illegal arms.

The commissioners said progress made in tackling the causes of conflict between the border communities was not sufficient.

They also called for continued cooperation between the two countries to stem cross-border violence.

Heads of delegations James ole Seriani of Kenya and Mayanja Sadiq of Uganda said they will ask the presidents of Kenya and Uganda to resolve disputes that have stood in the way of sustained harmonious relations between the two countries.

“We recommend that the two respective governments liberalise access to education, pasture and marine resources, and engage their communities in voluntary disarmament to end all forms of conflict over joint resources,” said Mr Seriani.

He said the two countries, through a joint disarmament committee, need to work out modalities on how to curb proliferation of arms among the Turkana and Pokot of Kenya and Karamoja of Uganda.

Mr Seriani said disarmament was important in tackling the conflict currently being experienced in Turkana County.

“We must commit ourselves to the disarmament protocol, followed by destruction of the confiscated arms in an open atmosphere,” he said.
Mr Sadiq urged law enforcement agencies from Kenya and Uganda to co-ordinate their patrols to end smuggling of arms across borders.

Among issues in the joint declaration was a resolution to ask the East Africa Community to quickly harmonise their anti-human trafficking laws.