NRT Marks International Day of Peace, Celebrates 12 Years of Peace in Nakuprat-Gotu

Every year, the International Day of Peace is observed around the world as a day of nonviolence and ceasefire. This year, NRT joined Nakuprat-Gotu Community Conservancy in Isiolo County in commemorating Peace Day, and celebrating 12 years of the communities’ peaceful coexistence, at a spectacular event held on the 21st of September, whose theme was ‘Conservation for Peace’.

Over 200 people gathered for the celebrations which brought together in song and dance, the Somali, Borana and Turkana—three communities that had previously lived in hostility toward one another. For Nakuprat-Gotu’s Borana, Turkana and Somali communities, 12 years of peaceful coexistence is a significant milestone achieved against the backdrop of ethnic violence and insecurity that has plagued Northern Kenya for years, impeding the communities’ progress and upending people’s lives.

The already dire situation was exacerbated by a burgeoning population competing for diminishing resources. Territorial conflict and stock theft ensued, endangering all caught in the crossfire, including wildlife, and resulting in unbearable loss of human life and livestock. The creation of Nakuprat-Gotu Conservancy was a timely non-violent solution to the tribal conflict, as the previously warring communities came together to form the Conservancy, bringing peace to this violent-prone area.

“The peaceful coexistence of Nakuprat-Gotu’s communities has led to the implementation of the Carbon Project’s activities, construction of a school, the emergence of employment opportunities, and equal sharing of resources despite the challenges posed by climate change. This is a major win because the Borana and Turkana, who previously could not agree, are now peacefully sharing the few resources available to them,” Josephine Ekiru, NRT Peace Coordinator.

The Conservancy’s existence has reduced human-wildlife conflict and led to the development of well-coordinated grazing and settlement patterns. It has also improved security in the region, making the environment conducive for business, therefore creating job opportunities for locals. The NRT Peace Coordinator, and winner of the 2021 U.S. Institute of Peace Award, Josephine Ekiru has been an advocate for peace among Nakuprat-Gotu’s communities. In her remarks at the Peace Day event, she underscored the importance of conserving natural resources in order to maintain the peace.

Adan Denge, the NRT Chairman for the East Region and Chair of Garba Tulla Conservancy, encouraged the community members to frequently check on their neighbors and shun tribalism and divisive traditions. He added, ‘’When we live in harmony as a community, even wildlife experience peace.

”NRT East’s Regional Director, Mohammed Shibia, reiterated NRT would continue supporting the communities in peacebuilding. The area Officer Commanding Station (OCS) also encouraged community members to report any criminal activity to the police for action.

The peace witnessed at Nakuprat-Gotu for the last 12 years is a testament to the fact that community conservancies are a springboard for peacebuilding and offer flexibility in community engagement. The community conservancy model and the relationship conservancies have with NRT present a neutral platform for bringing people together for discourse—providing an alternative to violence as a means of resolving disputes.

NRT’s peace programme is supported by USAID’s People to People (P2P), Sweden through the Integrated Management of Natural Resources for Resilience in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (IMARA) Program, DANIDA, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), European Union, Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, IUCN SOS Beisa Oryx Project and Conservation International.