LOKICHOGIO (Kenya), Nov 4 (NNN-KBC) — Thousands gathered in Lokichogio, Kenya, for the East African Community (EAC) High-Level Meeting of Ateker Leaders and Border Communities Sensitization on Peaceful Coexistence, focusing on the collaboration among Kenya’s Turkana, Uganda’s Karamojong, and South Sudan’s Toposa and Didinga communities.
The event, marked by cultural songs and dances, celebrated the Ateker communities’ commitment to resolving disputes amicably and advancing a joint disarmament initiative.
Leaders from these communities pledged to prioritize traditional and alternative dispute resolution methods to address local conflicts, establishing joint resource management committees to prevent competition over scarce resources.
They called on Kenya and Uganda to expedite a resource-sharing agreement for equitable access to shared resources and urged the construction of roads, markets, abattoirs, and other infrastructure critical to cross-border harmony.
Turkana County Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai emphasized the importance of unity, pledging to work with neighbouring communities to secure peace and development in Turkana.
“I am committed to supporting government efforts against banditry to safeguard our residents and their property. I also condemn any incitement over border issues and call on all leaders to work together in support of our common goal—peace and food security,” he said.
EAC’s Conflict & Early Warning Expert, Patrice Mulama, representing Deputy Secretary General Ariik Aguer Malueth, highlighted that since the peace caravan initiative began in July 2023, major incidents of violence have ceased at the Ateker Trijunction.
“The EAC Secretariat has partnered with the African Union Border Programme to create a Joint Action Plan for border governance, focusing on joint resource mobilization for these efforts,” Mulama noted.
Representatives from Uganda and South Sudan affirmed their commitment to peaceful coexistence, reinforcing the resolutions from a prior meeting in Moroto, Uganda, as a foundation for a peaceful and prosperous future where border communities collaborate and share resources equitably. — NNN-KBC