Stephen Otage
24 May 2011
Bukwo — Cattle rustlers on the Kenya -Uganda border have started pushing for peace talks with their neighbours amid dwindling heads of cattle and increased disarmament drive by the government.
This follows efforts by the Kween Women in Peace Initiative (Kwipi), a local non-government organisation operating in Suam, Bukwo District, to initiate dialogue among the pastoral tribes who have been engaged in inter-tribe cattle rustling and stealing.
The NGO is mainly targeting coordinators and collaborators of the raids so as to educate them about the dangers as well as implore their colleagues who are still holed up in the jungles to abandon rustling and start a decent living.
The fierce tribes
Among the warrior tribes which attended the Friday meeting were the Sabiny and the Pokot both in Kenya and Uganda, and the Karimojong and the Matheniko in Uganda. Efforts are underway to bring on board the Nyangatom, Karo, Mursi, Ari, Banna, Hamer, Tsamai, Dime, Bacha and Arbore of South-western Ethiopia.
Others also being reached are the Saboat of North-western Kenya and the Toposa Nyangatom, Jie and the Lotuko of South-eastern Sudan to discuss the causes of the inter-tribe rustling and find solutions. While closing the annual pastoralists’ week on Friday, the chairperson of the NGO, Ms Carolyne Araptai, said much as the messages are beginning to reach the warriors, they still fear for their safety because the traditional rustling has taken a commercial trend where rustlers now engage in sale of animals.
Resettlement drive
“We cannot confront these people but we use those we know to talk to them because the moment they get to know that their identities have been revealed, they can follow you up and kill you,” Ms Araptai said.
The talks are being facilitated by Action Aid Uganda with the aim of giving the warriors alternative forms of livelihoods after disarmament and teach them better animal husbandry skills. According to the Action Aid Uganda Sebei Region Program mes Officer, Mr Festo Majinjachi, the charity has so far resettled over 44 former cattle rustlers and collaborators and is targeting another 54 next month, giving them livestock and iron sheets as startup kits.
AllAfrica – All the Time