By SARA-CHRISTINE sgemson@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Tuesday, October 23 2012 at 20:09
Posted Tuesday, October 23 2012 at 20:09
IN SUMMARY
- Seven months ago these idyllic scenes of rural life were violently interrupted by a series of clashes between the Luos and the Kalenjins of this region.
- Today, the wounds of the violence have healed through a series of peace talks and activities organised by the Provincial Administration and various non-governmental organisations. But the scars are still visible.
- But Ms Grace Aketch Ouma, the District Officer 1 for Muhoroni District, is not convinced by the rhetoric.
- Whether the land issue or the question of compensation are political or not, she fears that these unresolved problems may be used to incite violence in the border area.
In the lush green Muhoroni-Nandi border area, it is difficult to imagine this picturesque region as anything but peaceful.
The market place in the small town of Chemelil is bustling with activity, discussion and laughter.
The sugar cane plantations that sit amid the rolling hills are a beehive of activity, as sugar cane is harvested and stacked on big trucks to be taken to the nearby factory.
Further on, children are tending goats or helping with household chores.
Yet only seven months ago these idyllic scenes of rural life were violently interrupted by a series of clashes between the Luos and the Kalenjins of this region.
In February-March, a series of cattle raids on both sides degenerated into looting, burning homes and crops. At least five people died in the violence.
Seven months later, the wounds of the violence have healed through a series of peace talks and activities organised by the Provincial Administration and various non-governmental organisations. But the scars are still visible.
Homes looted
On the Luo side, families who had their homesteads burned and looted have not been compensated. Some families have had one small structure rebuilt on their homes by the Menonite Church and relevant ministries, which still leaves them living in cramped conditions.
Their lack of possessions and the charred remains of their crops and former homes serve as a constant reminder of their loss. On the Kalenjin side, the unresolved land problem, which is at the heart of their frustrations, remains un-addressed.
The government settled Luos on land the Kalenjin believe belongs to them. Though this long-standing issue has no immediate solution, they are left feeling marginalised and neglected.
“We Kalenjins are a minority in Nyanza, Kisumu County; we are not recognised by the administration and all these politicians, they feel we can be uprooted at any time,” explained Mr James Kirwa Chepkwony.
Yet while both recent and historical problems remain unpunished and unresolved, leaders and members from both communities claim that these issues are settled.
During a meeting with eight victims from the Luo community held at the office of the assistant chief of the Nyangore Sub-Location, all the men present agreed that the issues were resolved.
“We have forgiven them. The way we interact, we see that they have also forgiven us; there is peace,” asserted Mr Joshua Onyango Messo.
Kalenjin squatters
Mr Raphael Kibet Rono, the chairman of the Kalenjin squatters, interviewed at his home, also asserted that the two communities now peacefully coexist.
“We are receiving the Luos, doing business, going to the market. We (buy goods) from the Luo land, I don’t see anything very bad,” he said.
Three Kalenjin chiefs, who came to Mr Rono’s home to discuss security, all asserted with conviction that region will remain peaceful over the course of the coming months and throughout the elections.
Ms Grace Aketch Ouma, the District Officer 1 for Muhoroni District, is not convinced by the rhetoric. Whether the land issue or the question of compensation are political or not, she fears that these unresolved problems may be used to incite violence in the border area.
“We are still sitting on a time bomb,” Ms Ouma said. When questioned further, both the Kalenjin and the Luo leaders conceded that the peace was fragile and could easily be disrupted, particularly by the up-coming elections.
Musa Kiptum Lagat fears that his Luo neighbours might interfere with the voting process: “Because we are on the borderline, and we share a common market, and we are the minority and they are the majority, they can force us to vote ODM or tell us to otherwise go away.”
Mr Messo fears that the unsettled land claims may cause further clashes: “Land is the cause of the problems and the government has not done anything to resolve the issue. Now I suspect that during the elections, if they go and incite the Kalenjin, we can be attacked again.”
While peace in the Muhoroni-Nandi border area may be fragile, district officials and the two communities identified some key elements that would help reinforce it.
Everyone unanimously agrees that continued and frequent peace meetings involving elders and youth from both communities would help foster understanding and trust.
They would also like to hold more activities that bring together both communities, like the soccer tournament that was recently organised.
To further build relationships, and also occupy the youths who were responsible for the cattle rustling, both sides would like a business or industry set-up in the border area, where members from both communities could work side by side.
And they want leaders and politicians, at both the local and national level, to preach peace and refrain from inciting any violence. The two communities also called on the government to respond quickly to any early warning signs, such as the distribution of leaflets inciting violence.
Members of the Luo community repeatedly expressed a desire for greater security presence in the area, particularly during the elections.
Ms Ouma said measures have been taken. The Chemelil police post has been upgraded to a police station. Several new Administration Police officers have been hired and will be arriving shortly to police the region.
More regular Kenya Police officers are also expected in the region by December. But even with this strengthened police presence, Ms Ouma still hopes that a continent of the General Service Unit will be posted to the border area during the elections.
And while extra security may help, Ms Ouma believes that ultimately each individual needs to recognise the importance of peace: “Not just for politicians but for all of us, we need to know the value of peace.
To live in peace is sweet. Even if you don’t have food, at least if you know you can go to your neighbour and get water. It is good.” The communities’ leaders couldn’t fault her on that.
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