A few minutes past 10 a.m., the residents of the West Pokot-Turkana border began to gather for what has become a yearly ritual over the past two years—a dialogue aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence. The schools are closed for holidays, allowing many adults, often preoccupied with animal herding, to attend this important peace meeting.
Leading the peace efforts are the two area Members of Parliament, Protus Akujah of Loima and Titus Lotee of Kacheliba. Their presence offers the much-needed leadership and political support to these peace-building efforts. For decades, the Pokot and Turkana communities have been embroiled in violent conflict over resources, primarily manifested in massive and frequent cattle rustling. Peace agreements were often short-lived, with promises breaking even before the ink on thumbprint signatures dried. In this context, guns ruled, and elders’ agreements were dismissed as mere words.
The conflicts were driven by deeply rooted cultural practices and social pressures, particularly among the youth who sought to acquire cattle for bride price, elevating their social status. The need to accumulate wealth through multiple marriages, symbolized by the number of wives and children one had, perpetuated the cycle of violence. Despite the relative calm witnessed in the past two years, sporadic but fierce cases of cattle theft have continued to claim lives and disrupt livelihoods.
Last year, a series of high-level meetings were convened by the Principal Secretary of Internal Security and National Administration, who, alongside Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki, engaged with leaders from the volatile North Rift region. Their goal was to find a sustainable solution to the persistent cattle rustling and banditry that had plagued the region for years. These efforts are generally acknowledged to have borne fruit, bringing a much-needed respite to the area.
Last Saturday’s peace meeting, held at Naoyapong in Kacheliba, marked the second such gathering since the inaugural meeting initiated by MPs Akujah and Lotee last year. The meeting brought together residents from both sides of the border—Loima in Turkana and Kacheliba in West Pokot—underlining the importance of dialogue and collaboration in fostering unity and addressing the escalating tensions that could potentially jeopardize the fragile peace achieved over the past two years.
Community leaders, government officials, religious leaders, local MCAs, kraal heads, and representatives from peace organizations graced the meeting. Reformed cattle rustlers who have abandoned their past ways also attended, lending their support to dialogue as a comprehensive approach to achieving sustainable peace.
Both MPs stressed the urgency of concerted efforts to stop violence and promote peace. Hon. Akujah reflected on the historical context of past conflicts and highlighted the benefits of unity for development and societal well-being. He pointed out that only a few individuals exacerbated the issues and advocated for their accountability under the law. His counterpart, Hon. Titus 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 rustling,” Lotee remarked, drawing applause from the gathering.
The meeting resulted in several resolutions aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence among the communities in the area. Key strategies include compensation for loss of lives and animals, recovery of stolen livestock, and the arrest and prosecution of suspects. Other resolutions focus on resolving border disputes, addressing concerns about gold mining in Naut, and managing animal markets.
Dr. Omollo, who also attended the meeting, praised the efforts of the two leaders for initiating and sustaining a structured dialogue between the two communities. “What Hon. Akujah and Hon. Lotee have done is commendable. I am happy they implemented what we agreed upon last year as part of our strategy for sustainable peace in the area,” he stated.
He called on all leaders across the country to play an active role in bringing their people together and pledged his office’s full support for such efforts. As these initiatives continue, the hope is that peace will take firm root in a region that has known little of it for far too long.
