Island of Peace in Troubled Waters

Island of Peace in Troubled Waters

By Koech Cheruiyot Denis

"I live among people presumed to be my enemies." – Loriko Lomulen, Kraal leader in Kasei Village, West Pokot County

For more than three decades, Pokot and Turkana communities have been involved in a widely publicized conflict – cattle rustling and dispute over border. The disputes have led to loss of human life, destruction of property, and insecurity among others. Mercy Corps PEARL program is increasing stability in Northwestern Kenya by supporting the two communities, government and the private sector to peacefully manage change and increase prosperity.

Loriko Lomulen. Photo: Denis Koech/Mercy Corps

 In Kasei village, West Pokot County is Chodomoe Woyer’s kraal. Adjacent to it is Loriko Lomulen’s kraal. People in the two kraals live together, one will not believe they are from communities that perceive each other as natural enemies – Chodomoe is a Pokot and Loriko is a Turkana.

“These kraals are I deal models of coexistence between Turkana and Pokot communities. You are not the only ones amused by our living arrangement even members of our communities from other areas are wondering how this came to be.  We tell them yes we are living in peace and they go with the message that we are one and our differences is what makes us unique,” Loriko says as he asks a Pokot youth, whom he refers as his son, to help him save a number on his mobile phone.

The 50-year-old kraal leader from Turkana, with over seven wives and managing a kraal of over two hundred Turkana people has lived in Pokot land for over 10. He says the relationship he has with the Pokot and his interest has kept the brotherly spirit between the two communities to live on even when the situation between the two communities was worse. The trusted elder person has been a peace pillar between the Turkana and Pokos has been an invaluable mediator and negotiator when someone is kidnapped, animals stolen and when there is need to share resources. He has been instrumental in mobilizing kraal leaders from both communities to work with mercy Corps in peace building.

 “I have Turkana blood running in my veins but what is the difference between my blood and Pokot blood? I was a sniper and am still, I can defend my kraal and even Pokot know but what will it benefit me to kill and see my people killed, and leave in fear that I cannot even go to the toilet or fetch water? Loriko says.

He says experience and observations have been his outright teacher: “I realized that conflict prone areas have enough pasture to make my livestock multiply and I would rather graze them there than go for somebody else’s livestock. I started preaching peace without being pushed and I always tell our people that they cannot come to an understanding by fighting but through talking. I talked with Pokot for the peace we have and we still talk, I can get rich through peace and this is what I have taught my children and my kraal members,” Loriko adds.

During a Mercy Corps PEARL-organized inter-community peace meeting, Loriko attended it without a gun at hand, contradicting other attendees who had theirs. He says he believes that if one is peaceful, peace will walk with them. His sentiments and action that affirm his words have earned him trust from the community that is hosting his kraal.

“I cannot be preaching water and take “kaada” (traditional wine). We speak peace, we drink peace, we eat peace and we sleep peace,” He says with a bright smile, before adding, “Each morning and evening we have “ekwokwo” (a meeting we update each other on our daily activities). We solve issues because issues must be there, especially rumors. We do not stomach things that will destroy trust and promote suspicion among our people. We confront them!  

Loriko takes lead in ensuring that Pokot’s animals are returned whenever Turkana boys steal from Pokot and other kraal leaders from Pokot do the same when the same is done to the Turkana. Elders from the two communities even discipline notorious members of their communities.

Goats water along River Turkwel in Nakwamoru. Photo: Denis Koech/Mercy Corps

“Even if that sounds like taking the law into our hands, we want a peaceful community and it’s our peace and we agreed as a community that we will deal with anybody messing with our even if it means chasing that person from our community if he doesn’t change,” Loriko avers

Loriko has since spread peaceful coexistence even to other areas has encouraged other Turkana kraals to migrate and live in Pokot and vice versa and this has been strengthened by the trainings and intra-community and inter-community dialogues provided by Mercy Corps in partnership with CBF and TUPADO, by making the hostile community to be able to listen and talk to each other when there issues.

The PEARL program, supported by Mercy Corps, prepares and positions community members to save the future generation from this mental attitude of hatred and make community members responsible in their society by resolving conflicts themselves.

“My soft sport for human life has enabled me to  bring coexistence to a war zone, I become very happy when I see the Pokot and Turkana children playing together, schooling together and grazing animals together without one taking advantage of the other,” Loriko asserts.

On his side, Chodomoe has this to say about his friend: “I have known Lokiro since when we were young boys but I have never encountered him in a raid or even imagined that. We have been more than friends.”

Loriko cites the peace coexistence to the good will of the two communities. He says the lesson from Kasei should be used to preach peace in other conflict prone areas along West Pokot and Turakan County border.