Cord leader Raila Odinga has asked Luo and Kalenjin communities living at the Kisumu-Nandi border to coexist peacefully for development.
He said there cannot be proper development in the country without peace among the communities bordering one another.
Raila, who kept off politics and preached peace during a meeting at Kibigori on Sunday, asked the communities to desist from cattle rustling.
This has been one of the at the Nandi-Kisumu and Kericho-Kisumu borders.
Referring to South African cleric Desmond Tutu, Raila said, "Without justice there can be no peace. Without peace there can be no development,"
The former prime minister blamed lack of proper development for the consistent conflicts between the neighbouring communities.
He made the remarks during a peace meeting between the Nandi-Luo communities.
Luo Council of Elders chairman Willis Otondi and Arap Bitok of Nandi performed peace traditions where the two communities shared a meal.
The elders urged their communities to end perennial conflicts instigated by animal theft.
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Raila asked the two communities to embrace dialogue whenever they have conflicts to avoid unnecessary deaths and destruction of property.
"We cannot solve our problems through war. The best method to end clashes is by engaging each other constructively," he said.
He added: "We need each other if we want to foster development to create jobs for the youth. Fighting each other will not put food on our table,"
Raila commended elders from the Luo and Nandi communities for striking a peace deal that targets to end cattle animosity between the groups.
He told youths to respect the peace traditions initiated by the elders, noting that anybody who go against such will be cursed.
Raila noted that Kalenjin and Luo community shares a lot in common. He moved the crowd when he spoke in Kalenjin language.
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He gave the history of how Luos and Nandi originated from Sudan, adding that Luos were also pastoralists before they embarked on fishing.
"Any problem affecting Nandi and Luos affects every other Kenyans. Be it in education, health and poverty. Therefore, we must unite to develop ourselves," Raila said.
The opposition chief challenged the government to initiate development projects which can address the high rate of youth unemployment.
Leaders from the two communities accompanied the former prime minister to the meeting.