Human security agenda to end tribal conflicts in Moyale

By Billow Kerrow

It was the American writer, Negely Farson, who said of North Eastern Kenya, "There is one half of Kenya about which the other half knows nothing about, and seems to care even less."

Kenyatta slapped an emergency rule on the region two weeks after independence lasting for 30 years; leaving behind a trail of death, destruction and violation of human rights.

More importantly, it led to the region lagging behind in socio-economic and human development. The region is characterised by poverty, illiteracy, poor infrastructure, lack of economic opportunities and unending conflicts.

The feuding Moyale clans are pastoralists; a nomadic way of life that colonialists predicted would die before the end of 20th century.

Neither the Government, nor majority Kenyans understand the pastoralists community in Northern Kenya, and much less the pastoralist conflicts which have increased in frequency and ferocity in recent years.

The causes of pastoralist conflicts have always been competition over use, access and control of pasture resources in the district among the communities.

The regional nomadism across the borders has also enhanced animosity between various communities. In April 2006, all the Marsabit County MPs from the Borana, Gabra and Rendille communities died in a plane crash in Marsabit town while heading for a peace meeting, following a bitter conflict that had left dozens dead.

In the emotional political debates that ensued shortly after, our leaders swore that to ensure that such resource-based conflicts do not recur, regional development priorities would be fast tracked.

To date, the same deprivation and marginalisation persists, and the conflicts continue unabated. Given the increasing incidences of violent conflicts in Northern Kenya in recent years, there is growing concern that the Government is not doing enough.

Official reaction is always the same; a threat to carry out a brutal security operation, and disarmament of the warring parties. Both are a colonial form of collective punishment that has failed to end the conflicts.

Corruption and indifference by the security officers in the region have eroded confidence in our security services.

In some instances, the administrators lack proper understanding of the pastoralist communities. How does one explain that armed groups roam the streets in Moyale at will and attack people when we have security forces in the town?

Why can’t security officers identify the perpetrators of violence through elaborate investigation and apprehend them?

Blaming political leaders will only inflame their communities. Authorities have to exercise impartiality in their actions as suggestions of bias only antagonise the offended communities.

More often than not, the victims know the culprits in such violence, but the police are either unable or unwilling to confront them. The police who have remained long in the area suffer inertia due to corruption and should be moved after such incidents.

It is inconceivable that our forces can so effectively and humanely secure large territories in Operation Linda Nchi in Somalia but fail to provide basic security in Northern Kenya. Even when they do, it is often at a price to the innocent in the region. There is urgent need to build trust and confidence between the communities by starting peace building initiatives that bring together elders, political and religious leaders and link them with Government authorities.

Peace meetings chaired by Government authorities simply load over the people but do not provide enabling environment for trust and open dialogue. It is time to move away from politico-military approach to these conflicts and embrace human security agenda that accord greater importance to lives and livelihoods of the communities. Cross-border dimension of these conflicts are critical in the design of any intervention mechanisms. Disarmament, often selective, forced and brutal, is not a panacea for such conflicts. If necessary, Government should do it in a consultative, gradual way that gives assurance of security.

The writer is a former MP for Mandera Central and political economist

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