Conflicts between communities at the border lines are initiated through criminal activities that are not addressed, hence escalating the situation.

Wambui Nyutu, a commissioner with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), on Tuesday said law enforcers treat modern and traditional criminality as community issues.

She spoke at the Bomas of Kenya during the signing of a peace pact between warring factions at the Kiambu-Kajiado border. 

“The Maasais stole cows from the Kikuyus and vise versa. In the process of the recovery of the cows, a Kikuyu boy was killed. These are criminal activities and not community issues,” Nyutu said.

The reconciliation meeting was convened by Rift Valley regional coordinator George Natembeya and his Central counterpart Wilfred Nyagwanga. This followed clashes in Ndeiya between the Maasai and Kikuyu communities.

Those present included governors James Nyoro (Kiambu), Joseph ole Lenku (Kajiado), MPs Paul Koinange of Kiambaa (National Assembly Security Committee chairman), Peter Mwathi (Limuru), Kimani Ichung’wa (Kikuyu), George Simukuya (Kajiado West) and Joseph Manji (Kajiado North).

Others were NCIC commissioners Abdulaziz Farah, Dorcas Kedogo, and village elders from both communities.

Nyutu said if the authorities continue to reconcile the two communities without first arresting the one who killed or the ones who stole livestock, conflicts will escalate.

“If we start treating criminal matters as criminal matters and not as community matters and starting to bring alternative dispute resolution in straight forward criminal issues, then the communities will never see the need to uphold the rule of law,” she said.

She said if people are taught to respect the law, they will fear and respect it as it will bar them from committing offences, hence there will be no conflicts between communities.

“It is time we started embracing the rule of law even where communities are fighting against each other. We stop saying it is the Maasais against the Kikuyus. When one is arrested for killing or stealing livestock and taken to court, it will bar people from mishandling issues."

The commissioner said perpetrators of the crime from either side should be named.

“Let us point out the names as they are. If we continue dragging communities against communities then we shall never see an end to the border conflicts and cattle rustling, which is theft,” she said.

She, however, assured that they will do all they can to ensure peace prevails. The politicians also called for lasting peace.

Edited by F'Orieny

Source : The Star Date : 12 August 2020