Climate Variability and Cattle Rustling Amongst Pastoralist Communities in the Horn of Africa: a Case Study of Marsabit County in Northern Kenya

Abstract

The disagreements, feuds and conflicts, which can be attributed to livestock’s and culture among the pastoral communities in the Horn of Africa, have been occurring since pre-independence era. In the African traditions, various communities used these events as cultural practices and for different purposes like restocking of the herds by the different communities. The current study examined the issues of climate variability and cattle rustling amongst pastoralist communities in the Horn of Africa. The study was guided by the following objectives: first, to establish the consequences of climatic variability and cattle rustling in the Horn of Africa. Secondly, to find out the factors that lead to perpetuation of cattle rustling in Horn of Africa with specific focus on Marsabit County in northern Kenya. Finally, the third objective of the study was to establish the strategies that maybe used to bring a solution to Climate variability and the cattle rustling problems. The study adopted the mixed methods. Random sampling was adopted to identify the different respondents who took part in the study. The study found that there was a direct relationship between the climatic condition’s dynamics and cattle raids (livestock-conflicts) that have been visited upon the pastoral communities. The blunt of the violent raids and attacks not only bring loss of lives and property but also makes an already situation worse. This is because these communities already face other natural calamities like drought and famine, flash floods and diseases, which are also a big challenge to the communities. Keywords: Livestock, Violent conflict, Raiding, Pastoralism, Pokot, Turkana, Kenya