Women take the lead in restoring peace in troubled Kerio Valley

Residents at Aror Ward in Elgeyo Marakwet county during a peace meeting on January 20,2022.Elders,youths women and leaders meet for a peace meeting following an attack within Aror secondary school.[FILE,Standard] Women, who bore the brunt of cattle rustling and banditry in the troubled Kerio Valley, have established networks and platforms in their push to spearhead peace-building efforts. The women drawn from Pokot, Marakwet, and Turkana communities-who have long been silent victims of the violence-are stepping into the spotlight as peace ambassadors. For the first time, women have joined hands, breaking cultural barriers to champion peace along one of Kenya's most volatile borders. The women say they continue to bear the biggest burden of attacks and displacement, yet for years they have been excluded from peace processes dominated by male elders and political leaders. Now, they have united to prioritize dialogue, healing, and social cohesion across the conflict-prone zones of West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, and Turkana counties. They have proposed a series of peace-building interventions-including joint prayers, inter-communal peace dialogues, market-day interactions, community peace dividends, and coordinated early-warning response systems-as a way to restore normalcy. Their renewed efforts come at a time when banditry has resurfaced along the border, leaving dozens dead since the beginning of the year and forcing families to flee, schools to close, and livelihoods to crumble. Prisca Limatuya of the Pokot-Turkana-Marakwet (POTUMA) women's group said women have suffered deeply, often losing their husbands, children, livestock, and homes. "It is women who lose greatly. Women are burdened," she said. "You give birth to a child, then he is killed, and you cannot replace another life. We stayed in the bush, but now we can mingle freely." Limatuya fled Chesegon after bandits killed her livestock and a cousin. She said lasting peace is the only path to restoring dignity in Kerio Valley. "If not for conflict, we would never have migrated," she said. "Let us embrace peace." She added that women were now determined to ensure the region is no longer "a laughing stock," urging communities to reject cattle theft and border disputes. She warned that more girls are dropping out of school and more families are sinking deeper into poverty as insecurity persists. "Women are well placed to convince their husbands and children to stop raiding and focus on income-generating activities," she noted. The women spoke after completing three peace training sessions in Chesta, where they committed to mobilizing other women in SILC groups, merry-go-rounds, village meetings, and chief's barazas. "For long, women were not involved in peace building. We were waking up to news that our people had been killed," said Limatuya. She urged men to step back and allow women's voices to lead: "We shall unite to preach peace. Men should sit back and watch. We are not undermining them-just give us the opportunity." She also admitted that some women, driven by cultural pressure, have contributed to the cycle of violence. "Some women incite their husbands and sons, telling them to prove their bravery. Yet they suffer when those same husbands and sons don't return," she said. Pain, loss, and unwavering determination For some participants, the pain remains raw. Helen Lomakilech from Masol, who lost her parents to banditry, said the grief is still unbearable. "Last week I lost my in-law who left behind a young child. I also lost my nephew," she said, calling on politicians to stop fueling hostilities. "Politicians are in Nairobi with their children while we are being killed." From Elgeyo Marakwet, peace ambassador Jesca Kipkopree said women finally had hope. "We have learned many solutions to sustain peace. We women must be on the frontline because we are the most affected. We want to graze and live together again." She said they had formed a group to fight poverty, conduct peace caravans, and sensitize communities against retrogressive practices. "We shall soon move to Kainuk to speak to our fellow women. We have marginalized ourselves for long," she said. "Women don't participate in banditry but they are the ones killed." Nelline Rulia of ActionAid Kenya, who oversees the African Women's Voices for Peace program, said women have tremendous potential to resolve conflicts, noting that their perspectives are often overlooked in patriarchal societies. "Women have scars and are depressed because of the deaths," she said. "We are prioritizing women in peace building. They will urge men to seek alternative livelihoods." She said ActionAid and Judith Nelson Foundation will also train women in sustainable peace strategies and help establish arbitration committees to recover stolen livestock. "We want to amplify women's voices and bring them together to address the challenges they face," she said. Community facilitator Lily Chepchumba said women will lead local dialogues to express "the pain they carry." Central Pokot Sub-County administrator Christine Kalyakamur said the women's reach was immense. "They can sensitize more than 2,000 women," she noted. Tios Sub-Location assistant chief Jamila Chemasuet welcomed the initiative, saying women's collective decision carries weight. "When a woman says NO, it's NO," she said. Rehema Yahaya, a facilitator, added that the women now have the knowledge and confidence to champion peace even in remote areas. "The women have information, and they will be champions in conflict zones," she said. As insecurity continues to devastate the Kerio Valley, these women-once silent sufferers-are now the loudest voices calling for unity, healing, and lasting peace.

Women take the lead in restoring peace in troubled Kerio Valley

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