Baringo County continues to grapple with insecurity occasioned by banditry often fueled by diminishing grazing pastures due to climate change, unfair recruitment of National Police Reservists (NPR), retrogressive cultures among others. This has left a trail of deaths, destruction of property, retaliatory attacks and schools closed among others. The Pokot community mostly residing in Tiaty East and Tiaty West are considered aggressors. In a bid to improve peace and security in the county, the national government has been recruiting and training police reservists from neighboring communities in particular the Tugens, and Gemps, leaving out the Pokots.  This situation borne a cycle of violence, in some instances targeting the police reservists and guns stolen.

MIDRIFT HURINET, through the Resilience, Peace and Stability programe, has been holding forums in Kositei, Tiaty East targeting herders, at-risk individuals and reformed bandits. The forums aimed at supporting the herders with financial literacy training and linkages to economic opportunities in Baringo County. The discussions delved into encouraging the youth to reform and engage in non violent income-generating activities to earn a living while maintaining and promoting peace in the region. These forums resulted in the formation of over eight youth groups who are involved in farming, livestock rearing, honey harvesting, and other activities.

Following MIDRIFT's interventions, 10 youths (5 from Kositei and 5 from Seretion sub-locations) were selected and trained as NPRs between March and April 2024. The 10 are among those who participated in the financial literacy and economic opportunities forums. Area Chief Edison Munono together with the community policing committee whom MIDRIFT has worked closely with, were instrumental in identifying and forwarding the names of the youths to the National Police Service to be recruited as NPRs.

“This is the first group of youths to ever be trained as NPR from this region. It is through these forums that the youth were identified and selected to be trained as part of government efforts to boost security in Tiaty. Other youths have shown a zeal to start initiatives to improve their economic livelihoods, rather than depending on village elders who send them to herd livestock,” ~ Kositei Location Assistant Chief, Mr. Edison Munono

Since the deployment of the NPRs, insecurity incidences have significantly reduced as attested by community members and community committee members. Incidences of livestock theft have reduced between May and June 2024 and more youths have abandoned banditry and now engage in income-generating activities such as rearing and selling livestock, selling household items and honey harvesting. There is also a close collaboration between the NPRs and community members to address the drivers of conflicts in the area among them illicit brews.

By Judy Gathura