West Pokot County Commissioner salutes NGOs efforts in bringing peace

By Osinde Obare

West Pokot County commissioner Peter Okwanyo has lauded peace initiatives by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) among pastoralist communities in Kenya and Uganda.

Mr Okwanyo said dialogue initiated between warring communities by the NGOs has brought hope to families affected by cattle rustling and border conflict.

Commending the tremendous peace activities by Sikom Peacenetwork for Development, Okwanyo said internal and cross border cattle raids has drastically dropped.

“We salute the efforts by organisations involved in peace building. A lot has been achieved following successful dialogue among warring communities,” said the administrator when he closed a two-day workshop on community media campaign strategy in Kapenguria.

The administrator at the same time acknowledged the contribution by community elders in their search for peaceful co-existence among the warring groups.

In the past, hostilities between Turkanas and Pokots have resulted into deaths and destruction of property along the border of the two communities.

He said development would be achieved when there is peace and urged the communities to stick to drafted peace accords.

“Food security has been improved because of the prevailing peace and the government is committed to support key actors to realise peace goals,” he said.

He noted that close interactions between Kenyan pastoralists and those from Uganda has enhanced sources of livelihoods.

“I urge the communities to cement their relationship and promote cross border business. They should agree to share scarce resources to improve livelihoods,” he added.

Meanwhile, security agencies in West Pokot are tracking down cattle rustlers and head of cattle stolen from a village in Uganda.

Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) soldiers have threatened to cross to Kenya and seize 300 head of cattle from Pokot herders.

Pokot rustlers are said to have recently raided Kapnandi village in Bukwo District Eastern Uganda and stolen the cattle.

The raid has sparked tension along the Kenya -Uganda border with Ugandan authorities demanding the recovery and return of the stolen animals.

Combined efforts by security agencies, peace committees and NGOs have mounted a hunt for the cattle.

Mr Okwanyo, however, rebuked the invasion threats by the Ugandan soldiers arguing that it will be a breach of protocol.