An international organization for peacebuilding that supports locally led initiatives, Interpeace has urged communities living in Arid and semi Arid areas (ASAL) to share resources amicably in order to foster peace.
In its second consultative regional meeting in a bid to foster peace between communities living in Mandera, Wajir and Garissa counties, Interpeace vice chair Matthias Stiefel urged communities in the region to find a middle ground to cross-border conflicts and land issues that has often made the locals differ resulting to either displacement or death.
The meeting held Thursday brought together communities of Mandera Wajir and Garissa so as to set key priorities come 2023 paramount among them was that peace prevails in the coming year.
The organization believes that through the consultative forums the county will be able to seal any loopholes that may stir disunity among citizens and promote peaceful coexistence.
National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), commissioner Abdi Aziz Farah told the communities there was need to have collaboration between all sectors so as to have peace and as an enabler for development.
Mandera County has experienced their fair share of conflict and violence in the past decade. Nestled in Kenya’s north-eastern corner, bordering Somalia and Ethiopia, the county has been plagued by killings, livestock raids, cross border attacks and retaliation, played out among large pastoralist clans.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) of Kenya and Interpeace remain committed to providing the most suitable support possible to sustain the peace agreement.
In the past years, the region was a hotbed for tribal clashes with the Nation integration and cohesion commission holding a series of peace meetings.
By Adan Mohamed
