TANA DELTA CLASHES:FIRM LONG-TERM SOLUTION REQUIRED.

The devastating attacks, torching of hundreds of houses and cattle raids in the Tana Delta since August 2012 have exposed the deep-rooted hatred and suspicion between the pastoralists and farmers, mainly the Orma and Pokomo communities! The violence has left 118 people dead and more than 13,500 displaced and another more than 30,000 people affected by the ethno-political clashes as of 9th January,2013. Majority of the victims are children the rest being women and elderly. What has brought up this mayhem which seems not to end any day soon?

The core source of conflict in the area has been the use and division of resources-land and water. This has been the case due to different lifestyles led by the two most warring communities. The Pokomo use land under individual ownership since they are farmers whereas the Orma prefer the communal land use due to their pastoral lifestyle. Pokomo use the delta floodplains (close to the water source) for farming. In so doing, they literally keep the pastoralists at bay from accessing the water source lest livestock trample on their crops. Clashes escalate during the dry seasons when livestock pasture and water are scarce. This is when all the communities rely solely on the river- the farmers (Pokomo), pastoralists/livestock herders (Orma) and fishermen (Malakote and Bajuni).

However, the clashes witnessed today were rare in the 1980s. This is because of the existence of irrigation schemes. The Bura, Hola and Tana Delta schemes provided employment and source of income to all the communities along the Tana Delta. The collapse of the irrigation schemes led to alarming levels of poverty which forced the locals to revert to their traditional lifestyles which are not compatible with one another in the delta under the current circumstances.

The killings have also exposed very uncouth weaponry the Tana Delta communities have in their possession. Why does a community arm itself that much? Machetes, bows and arrows, spears and handguns are kind of basic needs in the area. The minimal presence of the government, more so, the security forces has led to high levels of insecurity forcing people carry arms.

The government of Kenya has to deal with the land issues in the area. This is by coming up with a Master Plan of Tana Delta. It should fully involve the communities and thus show full commitment and compliance to the 2010 constitution and the National Land Policy. Besides, deal with the politicians who promote hatred since the conflict has not only been on resources but also on political differences. We hope the there will be continued efforts to find a solution to the killings and property destruction. People in the Delta should also realize peace is a vital ingredient to development!