Time to move from peace talks to concrete action and boost investment in volatile region

West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo (right) during a recent meeting with Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok (centre) and Uganda’s Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • A lot of development opportunities have been missed because these pastoral communities are perennially embroiled in cattle rustling and killings.

  • We have resolved to put in place concrete measures that will deter incidents of conflicts and cattle rustling; both in the short term as well as in the long term.

  • Whenever a raid occurred in Turkana, for example, Pokot leaders were always blamed, and vice-versa.

For decades, lack of peace has been a major problem facing the Pokot, Turkana and Marakwet of Kenya and their neighbouring Sabiny and Karamojong communities of Uganda.

A lot of development opportunities have been missed because these pastoral communities are perennially embroiled in cattle rustling and killings. Hundreds of lives have been lost and thousands of animals stolen. There have been numerous peace meetings in the past but little has been achieved.

However, as leaders from pastoralist communities living near the Kenya-Uganda border, we have resolved to work towards ending these perennial clashes once and for all.

We have resolved to put in place concrete measures that will deter incidents of conflicts and cattle rustling; both in the short term as well as in the long term.

These include educating herders on the need to share the little pasture and water available (instead of fighting for it), disarming all civilians holding illegal guns, undertaking joint cross-border surveillance and sharing of information between Kenyan and Ugandan security agencies.

STOLEN ANIMALS

These officers will also co-ordinate the recovery of stolen animals among other things. Most importantly, we have also embarked on helping our people to pursue other forms of livelihoods and economic engagements besides pastoralism.

It is worth noting that as clashes escalated in our region, accusing fingers always pointed at political leaders.

Whenever a raid occurred in Turkana, for example, Pokot leaders were always blamed, and vice-versa. Whenever the Karamojong were attacked, they blamed Turkana leaders. This blame game between communities and leaders has not helped to bring peace in the region.

However, we have of late been engaging a lot as leaders from warring communities and we have resolved to stop the blame game and excuses and take the lead in ensuring that lasting peace is achieved. We have agreed to constantly talk to each other constructively and be honest with each other in the pursuit of sustainable peace in our region.

SENIOR OFFICIALS

Last week, for example, we held a meeting in Kampala, Uganda, that brought together senior leaders from the Pokot, Turkana and Karamojong communities. The talks were chaired by the Prime Minister of Uganda, Ruhakana Rugunda. The Kenyan delegation was led by Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok and I.  We had MPs and senior county officials from West-Pokot and Turkana attending. We also had a big team of MPs from Uganda’s Karamoja region.

We resolved to engage regularly and hold public barazas and peace meetings to diffuse tensions among communities. We agreed to instil in the people the idea that we are one and if we stop fighting, we shall achieve a lot as one united people.

With political incitement having been singled out as a major factor that fuels conflicts, we, the leaders, resolved to pursue a peace agenda with an open mind and avoid defending peace spoilers and steer clear of blanket condemnation of other communities as has been the case in the past.

Most importantly, we have agreed to work together — as pastoralist communities along the Kenya/Uganda border — so that we liberate our people from these unnecessary clashes that have created more harm than good in the region. We want our region to be peaceful so that we can have investors come in to set up businesses and industries that can create jobs for our people. We need peace so that our children can go to school and have better lives.

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

We also agreed to pool resources as county governments and seek the support of the National government and other well-wishers so that we initiate joint development projects such as roads, schools, hospitals, dams and other infrastructure that will better the lives of pastoralists, and make them feel that they belong. This will surely make conflicts a thing of the past.

In years gone by, we have missed a lot of opportunities to develop due to conflicts and we are not ready to go back again. As the governor of West Pokot, I will do my best to ensure our people live in peace.

I am glad that fellow governors Josphat Nanok (Turkana) and Alex Toglos (Elgeyo Marakwet) are fully committed to the course of lasting peace in our region. With such goodwill from the top leadership, nothing will stop us from restoring calm in this region. With such engagements, this region will no longer be seen as a hotbed of insecurity. 

We have been talking about peace for so many years, but it is now time to take action. It is in our common interest to implement all the resolutions that have been adopted in the past. This time we shall not just talk, we shall act.

 

Prof Lonyangapuo is the Governor of West Pokot. [email protected]