Ntutu, Arati lead peace talks to end Trans Mara clashes

A high-level delegation of leaders from Narok and Kisii counties has held a peace meeting at Mageche in Kenyenya sub-County to resolve clashes along the border.

The clashes, which occurred last week, left three people dead, dozens injured, and property worth thousands of shillings destroyed.

Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu and his Kisii counterpart, Simba Arati, called for peaceful coexistence between the two warring communities residing along the Trans Mara-Kisii border.

Speaking at Magenche in Kenyenya Sub-County, Kisii County, on Monday, the leaders challenged the warring tribes to embrace traditional moral values to foster peace among them.

Ntutu urged the parties to shun hostilities that led to deaths and property destruction. He warned against acts of incitement, stating that meaningful development can only be achieved when there is peace.

Ntutu emphasised the need for dialogue to address such problems.

“It is regrettable that many innocent lives have been lost during the clashes, and an unknown amount of property destroyed due to cattle theft,” he said.

Ntutu called for sincerity among the fighting groups in seeking lasting peace in the region.

He urged elders to think beyond tribal affiliations, adding that insecurity in the two counties has negatively affected the region’s economy.

On his part, Arati warned the warring communities to refrain from retaliatory attacks.

He urged them to report any killings to security teams instead of seeking revenge, preventing further escalation of tension and conflict.

Arati said religious leaders have unique access to conflict stabilisation and peace-building, leveraging the trust communities place in them.

He described them as important and constant mediators in managing tensions.

Peacemaking process

Arati highlighted the commendable role of religious leaders in past conflicts, noting that incorporating a spiritual dimension into peacemaking processes can end conflicts and foster cohesiveness.

“Religious leaders support the government’s mission of maintaining peace through their sermons,” he said.

He added that sustainable peace requires not only political will but also the collective efforts of warring communities, civil society, and religious leaders. “We need to expand the space for dialogue to include local and religious leaders and other influential actors within their communities.”

Arati noted that religious leaders, working with the government and other stakeholders in peacebuilding initiatives, often draw on the religious value of love to encourage conflicting groups to coexist peacefully.

He identified cattle theft as the key cause of recurring skirmishes that often lead to bloodshed.

“Promoting unity and peace will bring about peaceful coexistence between the two warring communities. Despite differences, people must be able to sit together and dialogue,” he said.

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) stated that it is working with religious leaders, civil society organisations, and community elders to foster reconciliation and unity between communities living along the Trans Mara-Kisii border, following retaliatory clashes that have claimed three lives and left over 20 people injured.

NCIC chairperson Samuel Kobia emphasised that the communities deserve sustainable peace, which can only be achieved through collective commitment to national cohesion.

“Our strength lies in our diversity, and it is only through unity and mutual respect that we can build a peaceful and prosperous nation. We therefore call upon every Kenyan to reject division and join hands in the pursuit of lasting peace for all,” said Kobia.

The renewed clashes erupted on March 4, resulting in three deaths and over 20 people reportedly nursing arrow wounds.

Authorities say tens of acres of sugarcane plantations were destroyed after being set ablaze.