New dawn for pastoralists as EU
grant funds
The Mountain Journal crew in
Baringo
ceo@themountainjournal.co.ke
After decades of deaths caused
by conflicts and banditry activities in the four neighbouring counties, an
initiative has attracted a Sh600 million grant to stop the vice.
Pastoralists in the counties of
Laikipia, Isiolo, Baringo, and Samburu have in conflict as gun shots rent the
air, disruption of learning in schools, and disruption of economic
activities.
A journey to resolve the causes
of conflict kicked off in 2017 after the counties experienced the invasion of
private ranches with property amounting to millions of shillings were destroyed
over the need for livestock grazing areas.
The governors established Amaya Triangle Initiative
(ATI) as a road map to eradicate the anti-social vices and restoration of
sanity among the communities in the counties.
Juma Abdi from Oldonyiro area
at the border of the counties of Laikipia and Isiolo recounts how he has been a
victim of cattle rustling over the years.
“We welcome the initiative as
cattle rustling has negatively impacted the arid areas, thus need for the
restoration of the security,” said Juma.
Halima Bonaya from the Turkana
community in Baringo recounts how she lost her husband after the morans invaded
and stole the family’s herd of cattle 15 years ago.
“Mothers have faced the challenge
of raising children alone after the
brutal murder of their husbands during the clashes instigated by invasion by foreigners in search
of pasture,” she said
European Union a week ago entered into a pact with
Amaya leadership chaired by Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkuli
that the four-year grant will be channeled through Northern Rangers
Trust (NRT) led by Chief Executive Officer Tom Lalampa.
The leadership made a call that the herders should
share the scarce pasture before the rains fall.
Lalampaa reiterated their support for peace and economic
development within the region through the eradication of conflicts and banditry
activities.
“We will work with the four counties for the realization of poverty
eradication and improved livelihoods,” said Mr Lalampaa.
He added there was the need to bring the counties together with a common source
of funding will ensure harmony in all the activities by the partners to avoid
duplication and overlapping.
Other partners in the peace deal are Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture
and Technology, E4Impact, World Agroforestry (ICRAF), and Community Safety
Initiative.
The initiative also focuses on ecosystem conservation where the communities are
trained to use the environment for economic development through proper
utilization of the natural resources.
Governor Ndiritu Muriithi said the peace initiative dates back when he
served as Laikipia West MP and his desire to eradicate criminal activities.
“ It was disturbing watching the destruction of properties in
private ranches in Laikipia through invasion by herders from the neighbouring counties in search of pasture for
their livestock,” said Muriithi.
Muriithi said the grant will facilitate capacity building and
come up with a legislation framework in the county Assemblies and address
problems we face in the livestock sub-sector among others.
Samburu Governor said the grant will invest
in water and conservation of rangelands to address the biting shortage of the
commodity in arid zones and environmental conservation was also prioritized.
He said insecurity
resulting from rustling, banditry, and in some instances, highway attacks was a
big common problem across the four counties which in turn affects the overall
development of the region.
“To address the problem of biting shortage of pasture, he said
the counties have to invest in the production of feedlots for livestock adding
his administration had harvested 240,000 bales of supplementary animal feeds to
support their herders during the drought period,” he said.
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