Governors defer approval of pact to end border disputes

An initiative to end resource-based conflicts in four counties of northern Kenya hit a snag after governors failed to sign an eagerly awaited Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The county chiefs of Laikipia, Isiolo, Samburu and Baringo were expected to append their signatures to the Amaya Triangle Initiative last Friday in an effort to end perennial conflicts among herders over pasture and water, especially during drought.

But leaders who attended the meeting at Lake Bogoria Spa and Resort in Baringo County felt there was lack of public participation in the process and asked for more time to consult grass roots leaders.

CONSULTATION
The leaders are now expected to meet after two months where the differences that emerged during the meeting are expected to have been ironed out to pave way for the signing of the deal.

Among the leaders who attended the meeting were governors Stanley Kiptis (Baringo) and Ndiritu Muriithi (Laikipia), senators Gideon Moi (Baringo) and John Kinyua (Laikipia), Isiolo and Samburu deputy governors, members of Laikipia, Samburu and Baringo county assemblies who all agreed the initiative is good but asked for time to inform the public.

NAME
Elected leaders from the four counties agreed to hold public consultations on the initiative that aims to bolster peace and development in the region.

Some Baringo MCAs took issue with the name ‘Amaya’, saying it was derived from Pokot community but Senator Moi dismissed them.

“Our responsibility is not to look at names, but bring the peace that Kenyans want,” Mr Moi said.

Some of the issues to be looked at in the MoU are infrastructure, livestock, water, environment, natural resource development, tourism, cross-border trade, education and training.