Leaders from West Pokot and Turkana counties have resolved to initiate joint projects along the border of the two counties to help sustain the existing peace in the region.
The exercise is aimed at cementing good relations between Turkana and Pokot communities living along the border of the two counties.
The leaders from both counties have called upon the residents to support the projects being initiated by both the county and national governments in the area.
The peace caravans which started May last year has four stages of ceasefire, forming structures, rewarding reformed warriors and burying the hatchet like guns and shields.
A peace committee of 60 members from both communities has been initiated.
The leaders who were involved in the peace caravan in volatile areas of the region embraced the projects initiated by the national government along the border.
For one year and four months peace has been realized in the area where by residents from the two communities have been together involved in trading activities.
It’s the first time the leaders sat and eat together after more than 50 years conflict between the two communities.
The leaders led by MPs, Mark Lomunokol (Kacheliba Samuel Moroto, (Kapenguria), Philip Rotino, (Sigor), Protus Akuja (Loima) and James Lomenen (Turkana South) said the caravan will offer an opportunity to engage with residents and plan for the future.
The leaders called on both county governments to initiate joint development projects in the area, saying this will provide long lasting solutions to the conflicts as the two communities will continue interacting.
They said the government should help initiate projects that the area missed during time of conflict hence lagged in development.
The leaders said that the national government has initiated development projects along the lower Turkwel belt that will help improve eminent peace.
They said the government will opened up roads in the area to help reduce incidents of cattle rustling in the area.
The leaders were optimistic that the Kengen company will resume its operations after a period of 5 years after moving away following insecurity incidents that hit the area.
They called on the government to educate and empower reformed warriors to have alternative means of livelihood, get money and enter into business and agriculture so that they don’t go back to the vices they were engaged in.
The leaders flew to Loya, Nauyanyapong, Apuke, Masol, Nakwomoru and Turkwel.
Speaking at Turkwel Kacheliba member Mark Lomunokol observed that mps from the two counties agreed to use the uwezo fund and mobilize resources to help the reformed warriors and facilitate peace committees.
They said the peace caravans has yielded many fruits like increased schools, enrollment of children in schools increased, more range lands and reduced livestock deaths as livestock in the region can access pasture.
Sigor member of Parliament Phillip Rotino lauded area residents and leaders for maintaining peace.
Mr. Rotino said they will built dams, cattle dips, water pans, improve road networks and encourage conservancy in the area.
He observed that the four peace caravan building process between the leaders from Turkana and West Pokot is so far impressive and that the leaders will continue peace meetings in the area.
Rotino called on residents to leave the border issue for the government hence condemned violence along the Kitale – Lodwar Highway.
Loima Mp Protus Akuja called on the governors and senators from the two counties to join hands.
He condemned any form of violence hence said that there is need for the leaders to have regular joint peace meetings in the area.
Akuja called on the government to initiate water, schools health facilities in the area.
Kapenguria member of parliament Samuel Moroto said that the government has set aside four hundred million shillings for paying Kenya police Reservists (KPR).
He called on KenGen company to start social responsibility to help raise the living standard of area residents.
Moroto called on the two county governments to use the business kitty for area residents to start business.
He called on the government to have an affirmative action on education citing residents have embraced education.
Turkana South Mp James Lomenen urged residents in alcoholism citing that the habit might spark conflict along the centers on the border and threaten the peace that has been realized.
Lomenen urged the nongovernmental organizations working in the area to cease from offering trainings and stop advocacy to community members but instead engage in actual development.
He called on area residents to utilize the time the have wasted in conflict in engaging in productive like by initiating factories.
Lomenen urged the government to concentrate on volatile areas which lagged behind because of conflict by electrifying the areas and supply water.
The MP urged area residents to take children to school for the to get jobs.
Mr. Lomenen called on area residents to shun politicians who incite them during this time the country is headed for the general elections for them to get votes.
The leaders lauded the Turkana and Pokot communities living along the border for embracing peaceful co-existence, adding that his government will embark on initiating more projects and reviving the stalled ones during the current financial year.
The leaders called on residents to continue living in peace with their neigbours as the government initiates projects to develop the region.
All the leaders thanked the Jubilee government and KenGen for supporting the peace caravan that they initiated saying the fruits of the same have been felt.
The leaders appealed to other non-governmental organisations to tour the region and initiate projects like building schools as a way of opening the region.