The Government has established Riting Primary School which will act as a means to ending cattle wrestling in Turkana

Riting Primary School pupils during short break.  [PHOTOS: PETER OCHIENG / STANDARD]

By MICHAEL OLLINGA

Turkana, Kenya: The Government has for years made futile attempts to pacify Turkana, Marakwet and Pokot communities.

This is because of long drawn conflicts sparked by cattle rustling. Efforts by the military and paramilitary forces to disarm bandits have not deterred them from carrying out continuous raids.

The Government and civil society groups have spent heavily on civic education and peace building initiatives but nothing substantial has been achieved. Old habits die-hard, so goes the saying, and having realised it is increasingly difficult to change what has become a culture, stakeholders have adopted a different approach.

About 10 years ago, the Government embarked on educating the youth against cattle rustling.

The new strategy has been fruitful after the establishment of Riting Primary School. The school in West Pokot was established in 2005 to unite Pokot, Turkana and Marakwet communities through education programme.

Solomon Todoo, head teacher, says the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) financed the project, which he says as bore fruits in promoting peace.

He says KRCS in collaboration with other relief agencies have for years rescued and evacuated injured cattle rustling victims. He says the communities’ response to education has impacted positively in the drive to attaining peace.

Meaningful ventures

“Those who engaged in cattle rustling have embraced education,” says Todoo. He is optimistic the vice will be history now that a majority of residents have embraced education. Africano Asurei, the Chief of Endo location where the school is situated, says for peace to be permanently achieved, more schools should be constructed. 

The school began with 40 children, who were found roaming the villages. They were enrolled and   sat KCPE in 2011 with the highest scoring 354 marks while the least attaining 128.

This year, there are 31 registered candidates but according to Todoo, the school’s population in the lower classes has been growing yearly. So what impact have the children made in the community?

Cattle raids are still rampant, but the learned youth are engaged in meaningful ventures. Security officers deployed to curb cattle rustling applaud them for abandoning the vice.  “The communities’ response is improving, a majority of parents who despised education due to outdated cultures have also been enlightened,” says Alex Mureithi Kingoro, an AP officer. 

Todoo says despite the development, day scholars face security challenge. They record high absenteeism rates when cattle raids take place because they lack guardians to escort them to school.

Despite its positive impact in eradicating conflict, the model school is stretched to extremes in terms of finance and resources as it lacks sufficient support from the Government.

The school has only six teachers hired by the Teacher Service Commission and three board teachers.

Todoo also cited hunger as a challenge, saying that even day scholars depend on the school’s feeding, which he alleges hikes their expenditure on meals further.

“The day scholars have breakfast, lunch and even wait for supper because there is no food at home. We cannot deny them because we need them in school,” he said.

Samuel Kigen, an administrator says the school has played a big role as far as peace building is concerned. He explains  it is the only place students from the warring communities can mix without too much upheaval.  Pupils are taught to live peacefully irrespective of their cultural backgrounds.

According to Kigen, before Riting was established, there were no other accessible schools. He says the school makes if difficult for bandits from a community to attack, because they know their tribesmen have children there.

Pokot and Turkana children are meant to believe they are enemies and that livestock are more valuable than any other thing, including education.

Limited rooms

It is normal for pupils to carry guns, bows and arrows to protect their livestock. They rarely attend school, which, anyway, are situated far apart in the two arid and semi-arid counties.

Currently the school, which largely depends on donor organisations and well-wishers, has 443 boarders and 113 day scholars.

It has two dormitories; one was built by the Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) in 2007, while the second one was funded by the World Vision though it is not yet operational.

“The dormitory by KVDA hosts 100 students. The classrooms funded by KenGen also serve as dormitories since we have inadequate rooms,” cocludes Todoo.