Thwarted attempt to disrupt pastoralists’ peace

A thwarted attempt to disrupt the Pastoralists’ peace

By Koech Cheruiyot Denis

Joseph Lobei Loitwan aged 40 years clad in his Turkana attire holds his cheeks as he says, “Since May 2015, we have enjoyed peace with Pokot counterparts. The only incident that happened was the Kotaruk attack. On the wee hours of 20^th October 2015, when the Pokot raided Epuke, a kraal under Kotaruk sublocation in Loima. A middle aged man was killed with several livestock driven by Pokot from Lopet Location under Kiwawa location in North Pokot. The Turkana revenged by killing two Pokot of Kasei division, under Kamnono location in Kacheliba Sub-county. The Elders performed traditional peace rites and vowed this was never to happen again. As a resolution, since the Pokots were the aggressors, they paid back the stolen goats as compensation while their killed men were never paid for.  Since then we have just lived peacefully.”

Livestock recovery exercise at Kaptir, Turkana South.

His face beams with joy as he happily recalls, the international Peace Day Celebrations on 21^st September 2016 in Lotongot. “That was indeed a great day! The two communities were all singing and dancing peace. Our leaders, men, women, youth and school children were all present. Yes, Mercy Corps brought us all together. We were all dressed in our traditional regalia.”

Suddenly, for a moment, he keeps quiet and looks aside holding his chin. He is in deep thought. He rolls his head back and looks at me straight in the eyes. His eyes building with anger. He says, “But the devil must be in Baringo. They want to spoil our peace”.

Indeed, it was a chain of action and reactions. On 24^th November, 2016, in Ngulukia, Turkana East, a herder was injured after he was shot by armed bandits. The incident occurred after cattle raiders from Baringo attacked Ngulukia village in the early hours of Thursday 24 November 2016 driving away 162 goats. On the same day, at Lopuroto village, Lomelo Division, suspected Pokot raiders attacked the village and stole unknown number of livestock. Two herdsmen were injured during the attack while two are reported missing, some of the stolen livestock has been recovered. On 25^th November 2016, in Kamuge, Baringo North, Baringo County, three people were shot dead after attackers raided a peace event at Lomelo in Turkana East. Multiple sources from the trading center situated along the border of Baringo and Turkana Counties revealed that armed raiders stormed a peace meeting on Friday 25 November 2016 and fired indiscriminately at participants. A Pokot peace mediator said that the peace function had been called to discuss procedures of handing over 153 goats stolen on Tuesday 24 November 2016 from Turkana herders by suspected Pokot cattle rustlers. On the same day, in Lokori in Turkana East, suspected Pokot bandits attacked Ministry of Health vehicle heading to Kapedo from Lokori killing one female patient. The incident occurred at Lomelo-Kapedo road junction. This prompted Pokots from the East to attack the Nigikwamoru Kraals in Turkana South. Five of the attackers were from Pokot Central, two from Chepawait and three from Pokot Mosol location. In here, 4 Kraals were attacked and 1,600 goats were stolen from Lobokat and a 13-year old Turkana boy was killed. This happened at 1.00 AM on 27^th November 2016. On 28^th November, 2016, Lomelo, a raid reportedly occurred this morning between 0200-0400hrs at Lolimkamoni (located between Kakong and Kenya Wild Service along the main highway) where suspected Pokot raiders stole unknown number of livestock. The number of casualties is yet to be established.

For the last two weeks’ the inter-community peace committee members have not slept. They have been combing the affected areas on foot. Achodomoi, chairman Pokot Peace committee, sighs with relief “So we have been able to recover, 286 goats and still following on the others” His counterpart from Turkana Mzee Loriko Lomulen confidently says, “I have returned all the 150 cows. But, the Turkana did not steal the cows but were just holding them so that the Pokot would bring back the stolen goats Turkana goats”

This inter-community peace committee is a beneficiary of PEARL’s training on negotiation, mediation, peacebuilding and reconciliation training conducted in December 2015. One of its key mandates is to proactively utilize their skills to peacefully mitigate on any arising conflict. To hasten their timely assessment and response, Mercy Corps has bought them two motorbikes. Each will be handed to each peace committee from either tribe. Apart from livestock recovery, they have been instrumental in calming the situation, recovery of stolen livestock and publicly condemning the violent incidents through the community meetings and the media. Their action has so far restored calm and peace along the Turkana and West Pokot Turkwel conflict corridor. Market and health centers like Kainuk and Lomelo that were disrupted have resumed operations. In addition, the main routes connecting Kakong-Kainuk and Kapedo – Lokori are now passable. The Kenya Red Cross Society provided water and psychological support to residents of Lomelo village who are under village-arrest.

A key lesson learnt is that an empowered community based owned peace structures are a key cornerstone in Peace building and Conflict Management. They know the pain and loses of violent as well as the gains and happiness of peace.

The Elder Loriko summarizes by saying, “I have given back the cattle, I have washed my hands, we do not want issues at all on this time. Our mothers and children just want peace”