www.Kisii.Com: Syndicated news from only reputable sources [Nation, and Standard Newspapers, Kenya Times, KBC, etc.]

Kisii and Kipsigis agree to bury the hatchet

Details

Published on Tuesday, 20 December 2011 13:37

Communities living along the troubled Nyanza-Rift Valley border have brokered a peace deal that opens the way for hundreds of people displaced following the bloody 2007 post-election violence to return to their farms.

Some 17 MPs across the political divide cast aside their differences to hammer out the deal, called the Chepilat Declaration, on Monday evening.

Education Minister Sam Ongeri and Eldoret North MP William Ruto led the 15 other MPs and elders from the two sides to hammer the deal, expected to woo back many people who were displaced from their homes and farms in the Rift Valley.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed to work closely in stamping out stock theft, which has been a major cause of attacks along the volatile border.

Sporting activities

It was resolved that sporting activities be arranged where youth from both communities will participate to strengthen the relationship between the affected residents.

The youth are to be encouraged to intermarry so marriages could help cement relationships.

Speaking at the function, Mr Ruto blamed the Provincial Administration and police for their laxity in stamping out cattle theft.

The vice should not be allowed to create a crisis among the communities.

“It is the responsibility of the Provincial Administration and the security agents to curb cattle theft,” he said. “We should be talking of other things not stock theft.”

The Eldoret North MP asked those who were uprooted from Rift Valley to go back, exuding confidence that what happened in 2007 would never happen again.

He asked those running for the presidency to concede defeat.

“We must not take political contest as a matter of life and death. Kenyans should never fight again because somebody loses an election,” he added.

Prof Ongeri said that peace along the border was paramount, adding that without it, no development will be realised.

He urged leaders from both sides to work together in championing peace, adding that the Gusii community was adversely affected because of bad blood that was brought about by the disputed elections.

“We must now bury our differences as leaders for the sake of lasting peace,” he said. “Today is an important day.”

The meeting was spearheaded by the Gusii cultural and development council and the Myook council of elders under the leadership of Mr James Araka Matundura and Mr Joasiah Sang.

Sotik MP Joyce Laboso urged the two communities to live in harmony and uphold peaceful co-existence, saying, she will work closely with his North Mugirango Borabu Wilfred Ombui in preaching peace.

“The new peace declaration must bind all,” she said. “We must thank the councils of elders for efforts in trying to ensure that the communities live as neighbours,” Ms Laboso added.

She said stock theft was a primitive and outdated way of eking a living, saying that it contributed greatly to attacks and resurgence of tribal hostilities.

“We must commend the two councils of elders for the wonderful job they are doing in brokering peace among the two communities. They must be supported in totality,” she said.

Mr Ombui, whose constituency was adversely affected during the post-election violence, said that the peace pact among the two was a Christmas gift for both the communities.

He said the Abagusii and Kipsigis communities had lived together for many years, and ought not to start fighting now.

Good neighbourliness

“Our children have intermarried, so there is need for good neighbourliness and this will happen if we avoid activities that can threaten peace,” he said.

Those who attended the meeting included Roads Minister Franklin Bett, assistant ministers Beatrice Kones, Kazungu Kambi, Richard Onyonka, MPs Isaac Ruto, Charles Keter, Joshua Kutuny, David Koech and Walter Nyambati. Others were Benjamin Langat, Dr Julius Kones, George Nyamweya and Robert Monda.

Mr Kuttuny told off Gusii MPs who skipped the meeting, saying that they should set aside their commitments and attend such historic events that saw the two communities come up with a peace pact.

Dr Monda asked leaders to be careful about what they say because negative utterances result in violence.

Mr Matundura and Mr Sang said they would be holding regular meetings ahead of the signing of the peace declaration next month.

The two read out resolutions, which included total eradication of stock theft, frequent peace meetings at the borders and respect for the existing boundaries between the two communities.

They also addressed land ownership, hate speech and the branding of animals for easy tracking.

Mr Bett said the resolutions reached were good and asked two elders to take them back to their respective communities for their blessing before they are brought for endorsement by leaders from both sides during a leaders meeting to be held at the same venue next month.

“If we are the ones who made the communities fight during the last election, then we should turn to God and ask for forgiveness,” Mr Monda said.

The leaders at the meeting called for peace in the country ahead of the next General Election.

They challenged the youths not to allow themselves to be used in acts of hooliganism and lawlessness as witnessed during the post election violence.

On Tuesday, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka supported the initiative launched by leaders from Kalenjin and Kisii communities to promote peace in areas hit by post-election violence.

He said such peace meetings would greatly boost efforts to unite communities along the volatile border.