Laikipia West District Peace Committee

This organisation coordinates all peacebuilding activities in the Laikipia West district. It facilitates meetings with the Government, politicians, and elders, and mediates between conflicting parties.

Overview

When white settlers left Kenya at independence in 1963, there was an acute scramble for land in the large, fertile fields of Laikipia. Tribes laying claim to Laikipia were just too many (over 14) and soon the whole district was engulfed in conflicts over land. The situation often becomes explosive in a general election year when politicians incite their tribesmen to drive out others from their land so as to change the voting patterns in their favour.

In the unfolding scenario, it became imperative to preach the message of ‘unity in diversity’ to the warring tribes so that Laikipia could be shared without resorting to violence. The committee was therefore formed to provide an organised leadership in the district to coordinate all peacebuilding and conflict resolution activities.

As expected, there was the initial jostling for leadership positions in the committee by the various tribes. But much suspicion and distrust have been minimised by sharing out positions equally among all the tribes living in Laikipia West, and by being transparent at all times.

The committees’ leadership is drawn from well known opinion leaders in the district, who, although they may not be so learned, have vast experience of the district and are highly respected in their society. The government and politicians often consult them on anything to do with development, politics, or conflict resolution.

The committee has stepped up inter-community meetings to resolve conflicts and to consult on how best to share resources. The committees’ meetings are attended by Government administrators, elders, women and youth.

Through the efforts of the committee, the sprawling wheat and barley estates, dairy farms and ranches have continued to thrive, and conflicts have been significantly reduced in the communal grazing areas. It has also been possible to practice small-scale crop and dairy farming in the settled areas.

As the committee has registered more success in the settled areas of the district, this drives the point home that communal grazing will have to, in future, give way to settled agriculture and livestock keeping for the district to achieve meaningful development.

The majority of the population who practise nomadic pastoralism, however, accept this only grudgingly because they see wealth only in terms of the size of their herds. The hardliners among them are very sceptical and often take their livestock to graze in other people’s free-held land without their consent. If they resist, they come and raid their farms at night. This has been a cause of tension, but as they say ‘old habits die hard.’

What Services Are Provided?

• Coordination of peace committees in the district;
• Facilitating meetings with the Government, politicians and elders;
• Mediation between conflicting parties; and
• Preaching peace in public meetings and in the church. (The church serves only as a neutral venue to preach peace, taking advantage of the fact that people are very religious. The church is also actively involved in conflict resolution.)

Geographical Area of Operation

Laikipia West District, Kenya

Funding Resources

• Oxfam
• Peacenet-Kenya
• Government of Kenya

What Further Information Would You Like?

• Information on sources of funding;
• Information on management of community based organisations;
• Information on project proposal writing;
• Information on counselling services; and
• Information on how to conduct fundraising.

What New Contacts Would You Like To Make?

• Organisations that provide training on peace-building and conflict resolution;
• Institutes researching peace and conflict;
• Organisations providing volunteers to grass-roots peace groups; and
• Media organisations reporting on peace and conflict.

Associated Organisations

• Oxfam
• Peacenet-Kenya