Baringo peace team asks for time to consult 'their people'

Representatives of warring Baringo communities who have been attending peace talks in Nakuru for the last three days have asked for two weeks ‘to talk to their people’.

It had been expected that the talks which were held at a Nakuru hotel would yield a peace agreement.

At the end of the Kenya Red Cross mediated talks on Wednesday, however, representatives of the Pokot, Ilchamus and Njemps communities, instead said they wanted to go and ‘talk’ to their people first before reconvening to finalise the peace negotiations.

The Kenya Red Cross convened the peace talks in Nakuru in an attempt to find a solution to the conflicts that have rocked Baringo South, North and Tiaty constituencies.

Kenya Red Cross Secretary General Abbas Gullet who chaired the talks had called for ceasefire.

ROOT CAUSE

On the second day of the talks, Tuesday, it emerged that a potent mix of unresolved land grievances, undefined boundaries, marginalisation of communities were among the root causes of the conflicts in Baringo County.

In attendance were elders, local administrators, professionals, residents and church leaders from the three communities.

Participants in the peace negotiations had also pointed out unfair distribution of resources by both the national and county governments and illegally held firearms as factors fueling animosity in the conflict-ravaged county.

“We call upon the National Land Commission and the IEBC to intervene and address the issues. Land ownership and boundaries should not be allowed to cause bloody conflicts,” said a church leader at the peace meeting.

CONSTRUCT DAMS

They also want matters of pasture and water addressed by the County and national governments to end conflicts that arise especially during the dry seasons.

They further want the government to construct more dams and water sources to cater for the increasing number of pastoralists in the area.

Pastoralists from communities in Baringo have also been blamed for invasions of private land, conservancies and ranches in neighbouring Laikipia County.

But the herders have defended themselves over the invasions saying the ranches and private conservancies have pasture and water, yet their animals face death due to biting drought.

CRIMINALS

Participants further raised concern over branding of specific communities as ‘cattle rustlers’ which they said deepens the conflicts.

They want those involved in banditry dealt with as individuals and be treated as criminals instead of demonizing the whole community.

Weeks ago, the government deployed the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to some parts of the county to join hands with the police and help quell conflicts as well as recover illegally held firearms.

The security operation is on-going.