Early Warning System and Preventive Diplomacy in Land-Based Conflicts among Pastoralist Communities in Samburu County
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Date
2022Author
Kamau, Carolyne Gathoni
Riungu, Festus Kinyua
Karuga, Zipporah
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The use of preventive diplomacy in conflict prevention can be traced back to various human
civilizations where treaties were concluded, alliances formed, inter-ethnic marriages
solemnized and various forms of traditional and scientific knowledge employed to prevent
inter-state and intra-state conflicts. However, localizing this strategy at community level
remains a challenge due to lack of institutional structures and resources to advance capacity of
preventive diplomacy in land-based conflicts. The study examines the influence of early
warning system on land-based conflicts among the pastoralist communities in Samburu
County. The study was guided by conflict prevention theory, and the target population
comprised 424 individuals from different institutions involved in peace and security discourses
in Samburu County, Kenya. Using Yamane formula to calculate the sample size, stratified
random sampling technique was applied to select 206 respondents. Primary data was collected
using a questionnaire, and it was processed using descriptive, inferential, and thematic content
analysis techniques. Analyzed data was presented using tables, figures, and narratives. Findings
indicated that early warning system is used by both the state and the non-state actors to predict
trends of violent conflicts from open source information, inter alia, NDMA which publishes
early warning system in a monthly bulletin; smart-phone applications that monitor rangeland
conditions, and disseminating threats alerts. Complementing scientific methods with traditional
knowledge to forecast the future is indispensable, and so are the District Task Forces which
work closely with Samburu district peace committees to monitor livestock migratory routes
and conduct night watch on herders to prevent them from rearming. The study concluded that
the early warning system tool has been applied to predict trends on land-based conflicts in
Samburu, but there is need to increase resources in order to increase its capacity. Synergy
between multiple actors is recommended to avoid a confused response.
Publisher
International Journal of Professional Practice (IJPP)