Shiko Ngure: Community engagements ideal for solving cattle rustling, banditry

Banditry and cattle rustling have taken over the airwaves. Recently, I tuned in to one of the many digital platforms and listened to a Member of Parliament and Turkana East residents calling for the withdrawal of government security agencies from the area. 

 “Tumechoka na hatutaendelea hivi (we are tired and we cannot go on like this), he said.” This left me wondering whether we have forgotten to engage the community as a means of promoting peace and solving the banditry menace. 

I believe constructive community engagements involving warring local communities in the volatile North Rift and Upper Eastern regions can play an instrumental role towards curbing banditry.

Banditry has led to the loss of lives, displacement, and suffering of local communities. Despite the volatile rhetoric from some leaders in the region, a holistic and collaborative approach, that is community-centric and devoid of blame game and political finger-pointing, portends viable solutions to resolving the conflict.

With local communities taking a prominent role in crafting the solution, policymakers will be in a position of strength to make informed decisions on navigating the rough terrain. It is only the people of Baringo, Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Samburu, Marsabit and Laikipia counties who can find solutions to their problems.

It is encouraging to see the government change its tact by investing in drone surveillance technology. However, there is a need to invest in community-based intelligence and inter-communal peace initiatives.

Political leadership

Political leadership from these regions is part of the problem. They have been burying their heads in the sand for a long time yet it is their prerogative to undertake a central role in bringing their communities together.

In these circumstances, the adoption of the government’s bottom-up approach narrative is best suited to mitigating the stalemate as the varying dynamics of the conflict will be looked at.

Initiatives from Nairobi have led to the failure of government interventions.

The hard and aggressive approach adopted by the government though necessary has had adverse implications among the locals who fear victimisation, reprisals and apprehension in providing information to authorities on financiers, planners and perpetrators of cattle rustling and banditry.

It is time the communities developed mitigation measures before involving the government in the processes rather than the government taking the lead role. Creating linkages between grassroots communities, the government and non-governmental organizations through collaborations and trust-building will go a long way in fostering peaceful co-existence in the region.

It is important to acknowledge that an all-inclusive community-led initiative would encourage cooperation and create incentives for collective action and assist parties to the conflicts to end hostilities as it enables addressing the root causes of the problem.

Resolving conflicts

We need to take cognizance of the fact that these communities have coexisted for decades and had ways of resolving conflicts. Giving them a free hand to develop and structure their solutions to the problem will provide appropriate insight into the issues at hand.

A possible approach is to have the warring communities separately propose interventions unique to them before deliberation and amalgamation of the various proposed solutions by representatives unanimously selected from each community is done.

Peace initiatives with the communities have not been successful as they are largely attended by women and children while the men who are the perpetrators stay away.

Men from these communities should be encouraged to take the lead in seeking a lasting solution to banditry. 

The engagements should focus on key issues addressing social-economic and political challenges as well as cultural beliefs and practices.

To mitigate social economic activities contributing to cattle rustling, the local population should voice their reservations, if any, on the adoption of new lifestyles their leaders are advocating for. As calls and efforts to diversify from livestock rearing continue to grow, we need to ask ourselves; what do the local populations want or think? Are they ready to lift a jembe and farm if the proposed Kapkamak/Kabonon irrigation scheme is revived? Are they ready to keep dairy cattle as proposed by a governor from the region? If not, then what are their suggestions?

Politicians, religious leaders, civil society and opinion makers should not tire of sensitising the community on the importance of education for their future survival as banditry is unsustainable.

These efforts should be complemented by heavy investment in the education infrastructure in the region. The incentives should range from free meals for pupils, availability of learning materials, scholarships for bright students, better remuneration and allowances and security for teachers working in these regions. Such efforts and incentives should be extended to infrastructure development and revamping security in the regions.

Crime syndicates

These efforts should be deliberate, long-term, and gradually implemented to phase out the generation of young people exploited by organised crime syndicates to perpetuate banditry and cattle rustling.

Education is currently affected by insecurity but with the community taking the lead role, it will be easier for the government to find solutions to the challenges affecting the education sector in the regions.

In the past, banditry was linked to cultural practices connected to marriage and dowry. The communities should clarify whether this is still the case or if unscrupulous entities have commercialised cattle theft fueling banditry.

The days will be numbered for rogue politicians taking advantage of cattle rustling for political expediency if the community takes a leading role in these initiatives.

The banditry has frustrated some leaders and Kenyans of goodwill, who would like to see a long-lasting resolution that would usher in peace and development.

We must appreciate that a comprehensive, inclusive approach led by the community may lead to the recovery, reconstruction and development in these regions that have borne the brunt of resource-based conflicts for a long time.