Lasting Peace in North Rift Must Go Beyond Security Operations

The government has called for a comprehensive approach to ending insecurity in the North Rift and northern frontier counties, saying lasting peace must go beyond security operations to include reconciliation, access to essential services and economic development.

In an opinion article, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration, Dr Raymond Omollo, said insecurity had shaped everyday life for families in the affected regions for years, forcing residents to make ordinary decisions with their safety and survival in mind.

He noted that parents worry about their children’s journeys to school, pastoralists risk attacks while moving livestock in search of pasture, while traders must consider security threats along roads.

According to Omollo, the effects of insecurity extend beyond violence, with families losing loved ones, livestock and homes, children experiencing disruptions to their education and businesses struggling to operate.

He added that communities that once shared grazing lands and water sources had become divided by suspicion and conflict, threatening livelihoods built over generations.

Despite these challenges, Omollo said the North Rift and northern frontier regions had significant potential for tourism, agriculture and enterprise, pointing to the landscapes stretching from the Korkoron Hills to the Suguta Valley.

He argued that residents had similar aspirations to other Kenyans, including educating their children, growing businesses and improving their living standards, but insecurity continued to stand in the way.

Government cites gains from security operations

Omollo said the persistence of banditry demonstrated the limitations of interventions that focus solely on disrupting violence without addressing the conditions that sustain it.

He observed that although raids could be disrupted, stolen livestock recovered and illegal firearms seized, violence could return where criminal networks remained profitable, competition over water and pasture fuelled tensions, and longstanding grievances went unresolved.

He cited Operation Maliza Uhalifu, launched in February 2023, and disarmament efforts under Operation Rudisha Bunduki as part of the government’s response to insecurity.

According to the Principal Secretary, the two operations have resulted in the recovery of more than 2,600 illegal firearms and over 17,000 head of livestock.

He noted that livestock represented years of investment for pastoralist families, providing food, income and resources to educate children.

However, he said sustaining the gains required authorities to pursue livestock theft beyond the scene of attacks, hold financiers and organisers accountable and prosecute those who knowingly trade in stolen animals.

Sh4.2 billion spent on security roads and infrastructure

The government has also invested in infrastructure as part of efforts to restore economic activity and improve access to essential services in affected areas.

Omollo said more than Sh4.2 billion had been spent on security roads and infrastructure, resulting in the construction or improvement of over 520 kilometres of roads.

He explained that the investments were important because farmers needed access to markets, traders had to reach customers, and families required safe transport to healthcare facilities.

He also highlighted the rehabilitation of classrooms at Ngarachi Comprehensive School by Kenya Defence Forces engineers and their partners.

The facility, he said, offered children whose education had been disrupted by insecurity an opportunity to resume learning.

However, he cautioned that infrastructure alone would not guarantee educational progress, noting that teachers must be available, children must attend school consistently and parents must feel confident about their safety.

He said similar considerations applied to health facilities, water systems and other public services, adding that security gains must translate into functioning services and economic opportunities.

Omollo called for coordinated action involving security agencies, national government ministries and county governments to sustain the progress.

Communities urged to play central role in peace efforts

The Principal Secretary emphasised the importance of involving residents in security initiatives, saying local communities understood grazing routes, shared water points and disputes that could escalate into violence.

He said structures such as Nyumba Kumi, National Government Administration Officers and security teams should provide reliable channels through which residents could report threats and receive timely responses.

Omollo also stressed that rebuilding trust between communities and security agencies was essential, urging officers to conduct professional, lawful and intelligence-led operations while respecting civilians’ dignity and rights.

He said allegations of abuse should be investigated through appropriate accountability mechanisms, including the Independent Policing Oversight Authority and disciplinary processes within the National Police Service Commission.

According to him, communities were more likely to cooperate with authorities when their rights were respected and their concerns addressed.

Reconciliation and economic opportunities key to lasting peace

Omollo argued that for families who had lost relatives, homes and livelihoods, the return of calm was only the beginning of recovery.

He said reconciliation, access to justice and support for affected households needed to accompany security interventions.

He also called for neighbouring communities to be given opportunities to resolve longstanding grievances and establish fair arrangements for sharing water and pasture.

The Principal Secretary singled out young people as an important group in the peace-building process, saying they needed meaningful opportunities to earn a living and participate in shaping the future of their communities.

He noted that Elgeyo Marakwet’s role as one of this year’s Mashujaa Day co-hosting counties highlighted the opportunities available in the region.

Omollo said sports, commerce, education and community activities depended on people’s ability to gather, participate and pursue their ambitions without fear.

He maintained that the region’s greatest potential lay in the abilities and enterprise of its people, whose aspirations deserved an opportunity to flourish.

Peace to be measured by improved lives

The Principal Secretary said security efforts would require sustained vigilance, particularly in areas that remained vulnerable to attacks.

He argued that progress should be measured by whether children could attend school without interruptions, pastoralists could move their livestock safely, farmers could cultivate their land, traders could access markets and families could obtain essential services without fear.

For communities that had endured years of violence, he said lasting peace meant living without the threat of another raid, displacement or disruption to their children’s future.

He added that true success would not be determined only by the number of firearms recovered or roads constructed, but by whether residents could rebuild their livelihoods, businesses and relationships with neighbouring communities.

Omollo concluded that the ultimate goal was to ensure the next generation inherited the promise and opportunities of the North Rift and northern frontier regions rather than the insecurity that had held them back.