Garissa Governor Nathif Jama and area County Commissioner Boaz Cherutich have promised to hold a joint meeting with their Tana River county counterparts in a bid to find a lasting solution to the border conflicts by pastoralists and farmers from both sides.
Speaking yesterday during the Celebrations of Jamhuri day at Masalani Town, Governor Jama noted that they will sit with the residents, political leaders, and National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO) without casting any blame and bring the conflicts to an end.
The conflicts are between pastoralists who want to graze their livestock on one side and the farmers, who at this time are tending to their crops accusing them of letting their livestock into their farms.
“We will sit with the Tana River county leaders led by their governor and county commissioner and their members of parliament so that we can look into how we can coexist peacefully,” Jama said.
His words were echoed by the county commissioner who said that they would extend the joint meetings with Isiolo leaders too, where boundary disputes have been happening.
“The ministry of Interior security has come up with guidelines on how to handle these border conflicts and so we are going to extend the sittings to Isiolo County so that we make sure peace is maintained,” Cherutich said.
The border conflicts are fueled by long droughts which have been experienced in the northeastern region for four consecutive years now, leaving millions of livestock dead due to lack of pasture and water.
Pastoralists had been forced to cross borders into neighboring counties looking for pasture and water to save their remaining flock.
Although, short rainfall has been experienced in the region pasture is yet to grow in a way that it can feed the livestock signaling a long way ahead for the livestock farmers.
By Erick Kyalo
