LONG-standing rivalry pitting pastoral communities in North Rift region can be traced back to 1907.
The conflicts have seen the Pokot, Turkana, Samburu and Njemps fight over water and pastures for their livestock.
The communities historians say that in 1907, East Pokot and Tugen warriors fought over Chepkasing River which the Tugen had denied their neighbours access.
As a result of collapsed peace talks, the Pokot killed many Tugen people with their spears.
From the use of spears and arrows back then, the tack and war machinery have been evolving to the current illegal firearms with bullets ricocheting everyday in the valley as scores of lives are lost.
After many years of wars amongst the Pokot, Njemps and Samburu, Kapiel Oath was administered in 1913 at Tangulbei in East Pokot, binding the communities not to fight over water and pasture.
Retaliatory attacks have been the norm amongst the pastoral communities whose youth are mostly idle due to lack of education and employment opportunities. Some have resorted to cattle raids as a source of livelihood.
The raids have been characterised by the senseless killings of men, women and children.
Initially, they were fighting over water and pasture for their cattle but it worsened in the 1990s with the killing of hundreds of people and thousands of livestock stolen in Samburu, Turkana and Pokot.
In 1999, some 30 people were killed when a Turkana village was attacked and more than 2,000 heads of cattle stolen.
Murkutwo location in Marakwet East would also lose 50 people on March 12, 2002 when Pokot raiders attacked them.
“This menace will get out of hand if the government does not deal with it the way it has channeled more resources to fight terrorism. Frankly speaking, we are losing more people to banditry than terrorism,” Turkana North MP Christopher Nakuleo said.
Many killings would follow in various villages in the region pitting the communities until September 2009 Kanampiu massacre where the Pokot raided a Samburu village killing 41 people.
That necessitated the signing of Damu Nyekundu Peace Agreement by Samburu and Pokot communities residing in Ol Moran and Lorora in June 2010.
Baragoi massacre in November 2012 is another horrifying attack where 40 police officers were killed at Suguta Valley when they were trying to recover stolen livestock.
In October 2014, bandits killed three General Service Unit officers in Kapedo and three days later, another 19 Administration Police officers were ambushed and killed at Lomelo with the lorry they were travelling in burnt.
Last week’s Nadome massacre demonstrates the runaway insecurity in the region.
“Kenya Police Reservists are better placed to handle the region since they understand the terrain. The government ought to have invested in them and provide them with equipment and some allowances,” Turkana South MP James Lomenen said.