FPFK MUHORONI PEACE RESILIENCE PROGRAM
FPFK MUHORONI PEACE RESILIENCE PROGRAM
The Success
Arrows Down as Peace Reign
At the mention of Kisumu, Nandi and Kericho borders, any student of history and current affairs would undoubtedly refer to well-endowed lush green escapement which in spite of its rich production of both cash and stapple crops, harbors one of the deeply rooted violent tribal conflicts in Kenya, pitting prehistoric neighboring communities of Luo Nandi and Kipsigis respectively.
The dynamic nature of this ogre has over the decades poised a tricky balance and a hard nut to crack for the Kenyan government, local affected communities and the peace actors in their fervent efforts to find a sustainable permanent remedy to this turmoil. As such, numerous attempts by multi sectoral agencies over the years to realize absolute end of cross border violent conflict never saw the light of the day due to the relapse of conflicts shortly afterwords.
During the skirmishes, a trail of losses is counted ranging from the loss of lives by both the victims and perpetrators, property, forceful evacuation of the endangered population, women raped, children defiled and families disintegrated. The affected communities are therefore left maimed by either arrow shots or deep festering wound cuts of machetes, impoverished, disgruntled, children orphaned, women widowed, communities disunited and traumatized.
According to the security intelligence findings and other peace actors, the conflicts and stock theft are well planned and executed by the male youths majorly from the Kalenjin community whose perceived ideology is to “take” cattle from the enemy community (the luo). This assignment is however patronized and blessed by the community cultural elders whose pronouncements are unquestionably complied.
It was against this backdrop that on 23rd July, 2024, Free Pentecostal Fellowship in Kenya, Peace Resilience Program through the assistance of its project volunteers, project advisory committee members and the community council of elders embarked on identification and mobilization of the key actors in stock theft and violent conflict along Tinderet – Muhoroni and Soin/Sigowet – Nyakach borderlines respectively for a dialogue aimed at influencing the behavioral change of the youths who perpetrate the cross border violent conflicts. The groups were clustered into three, namely; The active warriors, the former warriors and the widows and children of the warriors who died “in line of duty”.
During the engagement, each group and individual participants were accorded ample time to vent out their roles and experiences in stock theft and cross border violent conflicts.
One of the reformed warriors vents out the troubles they undergone during cattle theft and battle front Mission when he was still engaging in the vice.
The active warriors attributed their action to peer pressure influence, abject poverty, cultural practices such as stealing to prove heroism after the male circumcision, practiced by the Kalenjin community. The youths remorsefully narrated ordeals they encounter while on the stock theft escapade and war mission which included maiming, killing, stealing and arson meted on the target community. The perpetrators also witnessed incidences where their colleagues were fell by the bullet in police ambush, pierced dead by the adversaries or dead in prison while others faced life imprisonment. Furthermore, the perpetrators fled homes to settle in the thick forests due to fear of apprehension by the security personnel, victimization and excommunication by the host community. They also lamented that their hard-earned proceeds were exploited by the cartels who give them meagre amount of money in exchange for the stolen herds.
The former warriors in their testimonies profoundly regrated that their former action left many families with agony, loss and trauma as they killed so many people rendering their families headless with the death of the husbands hence found difficulties putting food on the table, school fee for their children or fending for other family needs, this therefore exposed orphans and widows to languish in poverty.
This forum presented a rare platform whereby the widows and the former warriors dissuaded the active warriors to desist from participating in stock theft and cross border violent conflicts owing to the practical awful experiences their families and them were facing.
A photo showing a young widow explaining the agony she undergoes with her children in the absence of the husband who was killed on a mission gone bizarre during the cattle theft spree.
Additionally, the FPFK peace resilience staff confided with the warriors in regards to their security and reminded them of the risks pertaining to stock theft and engaging in tribal animosity as per the law of the land, mob justice and the curse that would befall the perpetrators’ families due to the agony they subject the families of the victims into.
As a result of the myriad engagement activities between FPFK and the said groups, the active warriors eventually, unanimously yet remorsefully renounced their former vices by surrendering for a prayer of, pledge to reform, champion change among their other remaining colleagues and expressed willingness to engage in genuine income generating activities such as agribusiness, automobile spares, car wash services, hair cut/salon among others.
Due to voluntary expression to reform and influence change among other youths and the willingness to pursue alternative livelihoods, FPFK peace resilience committed to closely monitor their reform journey and if the reforms proved genuine, the reformed warriors would be supported through skills capacity building and provided with livelihoods materials in groups. The initiative would provide a springboard for the reformists to open a new leaf by regaining the once lost dignity by living in cold forests infested by mosquitoes and other venomous forest inhabitants like snake. The warriors would also enjoy fundamental constitutional freedom of movement without limitation due to fear of both the police and condemnation by the host community. More importantly, the reformists would earn genuine daily income and comfortably support their families as well as become a focal point of reference and role model to youths who needed reform as this lot would in future hold their hands and walk with them the journey of reformation.
A photo showing a widow cum a mother of four young men expressing how she was left with 5 orphaned grandchildren whose fathers were killed during the stock theft mission and 2 sons serving life imprisonment over the same.
Warriors raise hands for a confession prayer expressing willingness to reform from cross border vices in one of the forests in Chemase – Nandi
Warriors on their knees and hands up as they surrender their lives and confess not to participate in Cattle theft and cross border violence during the meeting forum organized by Muhoroni peace resilience team at Kamoson SDA Church in Soin Sigowet – Kericho
