Garissa, Wajir and Isiolo leaders, residents resolve to end clashes

Leaders from Northeastern and Eastern have vowed to rally their communities to adhere to resolutions made on Tuesday to end cross-border clashes that have claimed lives.

The Tuesday joint regional peace and security meeting in Modogashe town attended by the security stakeholders, local leaders and residents was to resolve the latest cross-county clashes.

Top security officers led by Northeastern regional commissioner Nicodemus Ndalana and his Eastern counterpart Isiah Nakoru attended.

The security challenges faced by the three counties for decades are due to resource-based conflicts and border disputes, which have displaced families, led to the destruction of properties and loss of lives, and livelihoods.

Among the resolutions by the Inter-County Peace Committee are immediate ceasefire among the communities; leaders to hold an urgent meeting in Nairobi as well as follow up meetings for healing and reconciliation at Merti and Hadado subcounties.

Others are to surrender illegal firearms by the warring factions; chiefs from the affected areas to embark on reconciliation meetings and adherence to resolutions such as the Madogashe Declaration.

Ndalana said that peace and security will only be realised when leaders and residents from the affected areas agree to co-exist.

His Eastern counterpart said their coming together and agreeing to sign the peace deal showed all parties involved have agreed to find a lasting solution to the perennial border conflicts.

Wajir Governor Ahmed Muktar said that peace and security represent a significant social, economic, and development challenge for the people of Wajir and Marsabit counties.

"It is common knowledge that no meaningful development can be achieved in an insecure environment considering the huge investment pumped into the economy unless we work jointly towards the realisation of a peaceful and secure county,” Muktar said.

The governor urged the delegations from both levels of government on the need for the formation of an inter-county peace actors’ forum, which will spearhead joint grazing and rangeland management committees for peaceful engagement during droughts and management of resources.

Eldas MP Aden Keynan said it was now the responsibility of the two communities to preach peace and promote tranquillity, adding that actualising the obligation should remain key.

“I, therefore, urge the residents of the vast Northern Kenya and the larger pastoralist community to live in peace and support efforts by the government and security agencies to resolve the debilitating problem and eliminate criminal entities who might take advantage of the underlying issues to escalate insecurity in the region,” Keynan said.

Edited by EKibii