The Multi Agency Operational Approach to Communal conflicts

Abstract

Community level conflicts are widespread in Africa than any other part of the world according to Uppsala Conflict Data Program. Approximately 1.3 million Africans have lost their lives in these initially community manifesting conflicts. Internal communal conflicts have ability to quickly escalate into more devastating and harder to resolve national or regional level conflicts. Communal conflicts are also harder to identify. The North Rift region of the country is a hotspot for community conflicts in Kenya. Although multi-dimensional approaches to address the community conflicts in North Rift have been attempted since independence, sustainable peace has remained elusive with same communities consistently renewing their animosities. The purpose of the study was to examine the multi-agency operational approach to communal conflicts in the North Rift region of Kenya. The study was guided by three objectives; to establish the concept of joint operations in addressing inter and intra communal conflicts, to assess the experience of Kenya in regard to joint operations and to examine the impact of joint operations in the management of communal conflicts. The study was anchored on two theories: Theory of Change and Mainstream Stakeholder theory. The study utilized secondary data which was systematically analyzed and recommendations made. The findings revealed that communal level conflicts have capacity to escalate to national level violent confrontations and in some cases may move ahead to be international in nature. Conflict over authority is the cause of almost a third of all communal level conflicts in Africa. The study established that United Nations had previously not considered community level conflicts as its concern but rather focused on national level conflicts. The finding established presence of several communal conflicts witnessed in Kenya mostly over control of resources such as pasture land, water sources and livestock. It is notable that the year 2007 and 2008 is reported as the year Kenya experienced the highest and most fatal year of community violence with a political dimension. The study revealed that communal, militia driven violence tend to increase at the end of the year (December) and start of the year (January). A multi stakeholder approach to communal conflicts in Kenya is anchored in the new Kenyan constitution promulgated in 2010. It is notable that challenges face joint operations in conflict management in Kenya and specifically in the North Rift. Findings revealed that multi stakeholder approach to addressing communal conflict is evident in communal conflict that engulfed North Rift in 2007 and 2008. It is established that cooperation between security organs controlled by national government and functions within county governments may help security agents in gathering intelligence. It is established that challenges to multi-stakeholder approach in the North Rift are that there is a risk that the unaddressed tensions would still erupt into violence in coming years. Disarmament campaigns done in North Rift to address cattle rustling and inter-communal conflicts amongst pastoral communities have been massive failures despite being promoted since 1970s by successive Kenyan governments. The study concluded that the concept of joint operations is significant in addressing inter and intra communal conflicts. The study recommends the use of joint stakeholders’ approach in solving communal conflicts and that more efforts should be focused in employing the joint stakeholders approach. It further recommends that emphasis be made on ways of overcoming the challenges facing the approach of joint operations in conflict resolution.