Youth on volatile Nakuru-Narok border drop arrows for sports

Nakuru County Commissioner Erastus Mbui kicks the ball to start the finals of Njoro -Narok football peace tournament held in Mauche, Njoro on Jne 9,2022. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Don’t shoot to kill, shoot to score! This was the clarion call at a football tournament held in Mauche, bringing together youth teams drawn from Narok North and Njoro sub-counties.

Eight teams comprising of players from Kikuyu, Ogiek, Kipsigis and Maasai communities challenged each other on the pitch for two days.

Kalyet FC of the Kipsigis community triumphed in the finals against Boca Juniors FC of the Maasai community to bag trophies from the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC).

In the seven years leading to 2021, the youth from various ethnic communities would be arming themselves with bows and arrows to fight over limited resources. The Eastern Mau Forest block separating Narok and Nakuru counties and their maize plantations would provide the environment for war.

The communities would randomly group against one another for an unpredictable war that left the warriors, women, men, children, and security officers killed or maimed.

With the August 9 General Election beckoning, the NCIC has listed Nakuru among six counties likely to experience election violence.

Commissioner Phillip Okundi who officiated the tournament is, however, confident that the polls will be largely peaceful with the ongoing efforts to bring the local communities together.

“There have been continuous peace-building efforts with cross-border peace committees taking the lead. We don’t want our youth from Nakuru and Narok to fight over elections,” Mr Okundi said.

He added: “It is against this background that we organised this tournament to build a good relationship among them. The return leg for the tournament will be hosted in Narok soon.”

Bows and arrows

On May 25, police recovered 25 arrows and bows from four suspects in Mauche. They had shared images of the weapons on social media in what was perceived as a threat to peace.

“We want to build strong friendships among our youth to end the historical ethnic mistrust. With peace, nobody will need to arm themselves.”

The commissioner said propaganda and misinformation have been a major cause of tension. “After the fighting ends and you question the youth on why they attacked each other, there’s usually no concrete reason. We shall be on alert to act on false information,” Mr Okundi said.

He urged the communities to embrace their diversity adding that displacement of persons has never solved the challenges people face.

“It is baseless to fight over resources that belong to the government,” he said.

Nakuru county commissioner Erastus Mbui said government actions such as the ban on planting tall crops or fresh demarcation of the Mau Forest cutline were necessary but punished residents.

“It is the senseless wars that invited the government actions. The government wants you to use the resources but there must be order and respect for others’ rights,” Mr Mbui said.

Speaking on behalf of the youth and elders, Jackson Koila said cross-border peace committees have come up with measures that have brokered peace. “No community has to mobilise its morans to respond to a threat. Violence is no longer the first approach,” he said.