Samburu and Turkana Ceasefire Agreement

  • Country/entity
    Kenya
  • Region
    Africa (excl MENA)
  • Agreement name
    Samburu and Turkana Ceasefire Agreement
  • Date
    22 Jun 2015
  • Agreement status
    Multiparty signed/agreed
  • Interim arrangement
    Yes
  • Agreement/conflict level
    Intrastate/local conflict ( Kenyan Post-Electoral Violence (2007 - 2008) )
  • Stage
    Framework/substantive - partial
  • Conflict nature
    Inter-group
  • Peace process
    Kenya Local Agreements
  • Parties
    No signature but agreement is on behalf of representatives of Samburu and Turkana Communities living in Baragoi of Samburu County
  • Third parties
    NCIC Chair, Francis Ole Kaparo
    NCIC Commissioner Linda Ochiel
  • Description
    Ceasefire agreement between the Samburu and Turkana communities in Baragoi of Samburu County. Provisions largely deal with cattle theft and security.

Local agreement properties

  • Process type
    Formal structured process
  • Rationale
    Mediated and initiated by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) in response to a series of cattle rustling and bandit attacks.
  • Is there a documented link to a national peace process?
    No
  • Link to national process: articulated rationale
    No documented references in the agreement to a national peace process, or in the accompanying reporting of the process, as it was very focused on and responsive to a series of cattle rustling and bandit attacks in Baragoi.
  • Name of Locale
    Baragoi, Samburu County
  • Nature Of Locale
    City
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)
    0.648177, 37.772746
  • Participant type
    Central state actor
    Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
    Local community/civilian group(s)/civil society organisations
    Regional state actor
  • Mediator, facilitator or similar
    Mediator or similar referred to
    Mediator (references)
    The meeting was mediated by NCIC Chair, Francis Ole Kaparo and the NCIC Commissioner Linda Ochiel.
    Type of mediator/facilitator/similar
    Central state actor

Local issues

  • Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)

    No specific mention.

  • Grievance List
    Page 1,
    ... The Commission has in the past few days been mediating a conflict between the Samburu and Turkana Communities following a series of cattle rustling and bandit attacks that has led to destruction of property, theft of hundreds of cattle and loss of hundreds of lives. Insecurity has been rampant in Samburu County due to competition for County and natural resources between the two dominant communities in the County.

    Page 1,
    ... Matters of lawlessness, marginalization and inequitable distribution of resources, discrimination on issuance of identity cards emerged as key triggers of violence between the two communities.
  • Cattle rustling/banditry
    Page 1,
    ... The Commission has in the past few days been mediating a conflict between the Samburu and Turkana Communities following a series of cattle rustling and bandit attacks that has led to destruction of property, theft of hundreds of cattle and loss of hundreds of lives.

    Page 1,
    ... All animals stolen returned to their owners
  • Social cover

    No specific mention.

Samburu and Turkana Ceasefire Agreement

Nanyuki, 22nd June 2015,

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) today negotiated a ceasefire agreement between the Samburu and Turkana Communities living in Baragoi of Samburu County in a mediation process conducted at the Sportman’s Arms Hotel in Nanyuki.

The Commission has in the past three days been mediating a conflict between the Samburu and Turkana Communities following a series of cattle rustling and bandit attacks that has led to destruction of property, theft of hundreds of cattle and loss of hundreds of lives.

Insecurity has been rampant in Samburu County due to competition for County and natural resources between the two dominant communities in the County.

The meeting mediated by NCIC Chair, Francis Ole Kaparo and the NCIC Commissioner Linda Ochiel resolved that stringent action will be taken against members of either communities that break the ceasefire agreement, including the double payment for any animals stolen by either communities, justice through the judicial process as well as a communal penalty of 50 cows for any each life lost.

Matters of lawlessness, marginalization and inequitable distribution of resources, discrimination on issuance of identity cards emerged as key triggers of violence between the two communities.

Both the National and County Government were taken to task on their commitment to address insecurity and marginalization respectively.

“The rule of law must be upheld and that persons found culpable of criminal acts must be apprehended and prosecuted in accordance with the law,” said Francis Ole Kaparo, NCIC Chairman. “

Individuals must be held liable for the crimes they have committed and must not be attributed to the entire community,”

Attended by the Joint Parliamentary Committee on National Cohesion, headed by the Chairman, Johnstone Sakaja, the Chairman on Parliamentary Committee, Asman Kamama, the Samburu Governor, senator and members of parliament from Samburu County, the meeting resolved the following that:

The two communities unconditionally commit to a ceasefire agreement and stop any actions that may undermine the peace process initiated by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission;

The government announce immediate re-opening of schools;

The government guns taken from the security officers killed in Suguta Valley in 2012 be returned;

All animals stolen returned to their owners

Turkana professionals should cease to interfere in the affairs of the Samburu County and

Members of communities must cease using derogatory and humiliating names against each other.

Members of Turkana community be allowed to access the Maralal business opportunities including the slaughter house.

Government fast track the improvement of roads to enable rapid deployment of security personnel when necessary.

That the rule of law must be upheld and that persons foundculpable of criminal acts are apprehended and prosecuted inaccordance with the law.

Individuals must be held liable for the crimes they have committed and must not be attributed to entire communities.

Any persons found engaging in hate speech, spreading false and malicious rumours aimed at fanning ethnic hatredshould be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law;

The ELITES in particular immediately stop posting of hate speech and unfounded rumours on social media platforms;

A multi-ethnic committee be formed to preach peace at the grassroots and that National and County Government facilitate the committee.

The Committee among other taskswill analyze and prioritize resolutions of this meeting and reach consensus on how it will be implemented;

The security personnel had generally failed to protect the lives and properties of the citizens as required of them under the Constitution of Kenya.

It is of utmost importance that the government enforce the rule of law without fear or favour;

Law enforcement agencies promptly act on actionable intelligence provided by the public and treat that information with utmost confidentiality;

The resources and opportunities at both levels of government are shared in a fair, transparent, equitable and non-discriminatory manner in accordance with the law.

National Identity Cards be issued in an impartial manner to all qualifying individuals resident in Samburu County.

The County Government facilitate fair registration of group ranches;

The national government fast track recruitment of 300 "warriors" into the National Youth Service.

Communities respect each others' grazing zones.