Creators of Peace in Baringo County

During the month of August 2014, Creators of Peace Circles was in Baringo County. The county is located in the former Rift Valley Province of Kenya, about 270 km north-west of Nairobi. The dominant ethnic groups in Baringo are the Pokots, Tugens, Endorois and Ilchamus. Recently Baringo county has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Fresh violence has hit the area killing dozens of people and forcing many to flee their homes. Twenty-one police officers were ambushed and killed by bandits in Pokot - a very sad situation.

Livestock keeping, mostly cattle, is an important feature of the Baringo culture. It is a major source of wealth and serves as a form of traditional currency used to negotiate for wives and dowry payment. As such, it is common for Pokots and other ethnic groups to raid their neighbouring communities to enlarge their herds. Most of the times, the cattle rustling results in innocent deaths. 

In a difficult context of violence and castle-rustling, three Peace Circles- in Kabarnet, Sandai (Bogoria) and Marigat reaching 48 women from the Tugens, Endorois and Ilchamus communities- addressed some of the root causes and equipped women to become peace-makers. After running the first Peace Circles in Baringo, the women requested that we keep their certificates and that we present them later to all the three groups we planned to reach out to so that they could all meet, know each other and see how to work together. We agreed and we can say that it was a good idea that we supported it because, besides the event bringing onboard the Member of County Assembly (MCA) for Marigat, Mr Wesley, and some media houses, the women were able to come up with a way forward. As Coretta Scott King once said, 'I am convinced that the women of the world, united without any regard for national or racial dimension, can become the most powerful force for international peace and brotherhood.'

One of the things that we have been doing in all the Creators of Peace trainings is involving the County Governments of the respective areas. In Baringo, Mr Wesley was present to issue the certificates to the 48 participants from all three groups. The 48 women, when they finally met, all agreed that insecurity, cattle rustling and killings were a major challenge in the area. In the presence of Mr Wesley, the women planned to visit the East Pokot area (the worst hit by cattle rustling) and interact with people there and seek a lasting solution to the unending conflict.

The women agreed on using a traditional, cultural approach to peace building which means they would wear their birth belts for all to see. These are belts worn after giving birth and have a special significance, and when women put them on for display it is a signal that all need to take them seriously and the men are cursed if they still get involved in cattle rustling. However, before taking this step, it was agreed that a Peace Circle be run in East Pokot so that some women there experience what the other women had experienced and together they can hold hands for peace.

The MCA for Marigat, Mr Wesley, was very moved by what Creators of Peace is doing and he offered to take the Creators of Peace team and some of the participants to meet with the Governor so that the Governor could see how Creators of Peace could be supported to run more Peace Circles in the county. Sure enough, a meeting was scheduled and a small team of Creators of Peace met with the Governor of Baringo. He was impressed and asked the team to write a funding proposal for the County Government to consider. We are praying that something comes out of it.

Creators of Peace in Kabarnet

On 4-6 August 2014, 16 women from Kabarnet took part in a Creators of Peace Circle. The participants had this to share: 

Fridah: After knowing the importance of listening to others, I have learnt that being a good listener is a life saver, since some people want to be listened to so that they can get solutions to what is disturbing them.

Glady: I have discovered that inner peace leads to a longer life.

Zubeda: As I now understand the qualities of a peace creator, I want to be a role model in my family and community. It’s not easy but I will try my best.

Creators of Peace in Sandai

From Kabarnet, on 7-9 August 2014 the facilitators travelled to Sandai near Lake Bogoria - a very rural area of Baringo, reaching 19 women. Below are some of the personal experiences by those present:

Rebecca: Creators of Peace has helped me realize how important peace is and I want to apply peace in my life. Peace is life. Being a creator of peace calls for a big sacrifice of time and resources.

Alice: I have learnt it is good to give time for God to speak to me, through inner listening, since it leads one to wisdom in running their personal life.

Esther: After the session on listening to others, I want to make an effort to move from being a partial listener to an attentive listener.

Creators of Peace in Marigat

From  20- 22 August, Creators of Peace facilitators finalized the Peace Circles in Marigat, Baringo. A total of 13 women gathered together to share personal stories and understand more concerning peace.

It was a challenge for these women to come on time since many of them are pastoralists and they had to release the livestock before coming for the gathering. All in all it was a good time shared together with the women. Some reactions from the women were as follows:

Margaret: I have come to know that Peace is a very important thing. I was not an attentive listener but as from today I have learned to be a good listener. I have also learned the power of story sharing, because sharing my personal story has being very challenging but I have shared with the women in this gathering.

Mercy: I have learned so much and I am looking forward to sharing it with other women in Chief Barasa’s ( these are local meetings for the people usually called and chaired by the Chiefs to deliberate on issues of local areas) and other meetings in my area.

Fiona: As a woman I believe all those who are fighting are our sons. We should talk to them since we women play an influential role in our sons’ lives. All we need is to be at peace with one another.

Jennnifer: I am not the same any more. I am honoured to be in this gathering, and I commit to sacrifice my time to reach out to many other women.

Prisca: I feel that I was held up by some chains but now I feel free and very happy.

Carolyne: I have known what destroys and what creates peace and I feel strengthened by the way the string went round during the introduction session. I have also come to understand that one person’s challenges could be a source of strength to another person.

On 22 August, all the women from the three towns came together, to receive their certificates as well as brainstorm on what they can do together for peace in Baringo County. To grace the occasion, some other members of IofC Kenya, were also present.

The facilitators for the Peace Circles in Baringo were Annie Gitu and Mediatrix Masava.

It is with much appreciation and humility that we wish to thank the Irene Prestwitch (IPT) for the financial support that made this Creators of Peace possible.

Report by Mediatrix Masava & Njeri Kimanthi