Indigenous women vow to jointly preach peace in Isiolo, Samburu

Indigenous women in Isiolo and Samburu counties have resolved to unite in ensuring warring communities living within the two counties’ border coexist peacefully for sustainable development in the region.

The agenda will be spearheaded by 80 women, 40 from each county, who have already been trained on peace building and mediation.

The resolution was made at a meeting in Archers Post, Samburu East organized by a local organization, Isiolo Peace Link, which was aimed at reaching out to more women to join the course of preaching peace.

Banditry within Isiolo-Samburu border has seen many people killed, maimed and families displaced even as residents call for deployment of more National Police Reservists to the insecurity prone areas.

The undertaking also entails sustained educational programs targeting pastoralist men in quest to ensure women are allowed to contribute to formal peace matters because they, together with their children suffer most during conflicts.

Patriarchal traditions and perception that women lack crucial skills and knowledge to resolve conflicts, continues to limit their participation in peace building and mediation processes.

Lasting peace

Joyce Nairesiae, a member of Isiolo’s indigenous women of the UN resolution 1325 Action Group, said each of them will be tasked with spearheading peace initiatives in their respective localities while rooting for dialogue in conflict resolution as opposed to retaliation.

“We as women from Isiolo and Samburu counties have resolved to collaborate in ensuring lasting peace is achieved in our region for realization of more development,” Ms Nairesiae said.

She said all areas that they had visited within Isiolo, in the last one month to preach peace, had witnessed relative peace.

“Our ability has not been maximized and we hope men will embrace our work and support the initiative because when there is peace, we all enjoy.”

The program dubbed “silencing the guns through mediation” is being implemented by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission and Isiolo Peace Link is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

A 70-year-old Margaret Longoros from Samburu East said sustained peace efforts by women from both counties would achieve lasting peace in the troubled areas.

“With the fights over resources, we cannot achieve anything tangible. We all said we want peace because that is the only way our areas will develop,” she said.

Sarah Fariah Rapana, the group lead, said they would also be undertaking community sensitization forums to educate parents on the need to have all their children in school, and ensure they attain the highest level of education.

Ending banditry

“Women strength should not be overlooked. If integrated in the peace process, we can offer great ideas to help achieve the desired results,” she said.

Isiolo Peace Link official Mohammed Amin, said the forums will be sustained to ensure as many women as possible are brought on board to expand their reach.

“We are keen on helping women from the two counties work together for enhanced peace in the region,” Mr Amin said.

Archers Post OCS Benson Korir, stressed on the need for parents to take their children to school saying it would go a long way in ending banditry.

“While you work on mediation, insist on education for both boys and girls because that will help end banditry and retrogressive cultures such as Female Genital Mutilation,” he appealed.

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