Navigating Fragile Peace : A Critical Analysis of the Challenges Local Peace Committees Face in Combating Cattle Rustling in Tiaty East, Kenya

Abstract

This study explored the challenges Local Peace Committees (LPCs) face in combating cattle rustling in Tiaty East Sub-County, Baringo County, Kenya. While previous research has focused on police challenges, this study addresses the understudied role and constraints of LPCs as primary actors in conflict resolution. Conflict transformation theory was adopted to guide the study’s examination of the dynamic nature of cattle rustling and how LPCs could help bring peace by focusing on multiple peace approaches in conjunction with addressing the root cultural causes of cattle rustling. The research adopted a case study design, utilizing a qualitative approach within an interpretivist paradigm. Data was collected from LPC members, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations (NGOs/FBOs), security agencies, opinion leaders, and local administration in Tiaty East. Using purposive sampling, the researcher selected 30 respondents for key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The findings identified numerous challenges LPCs face. These include political interference and patronage; a lack of adequate facilitation; high levels of illiteracy among LPCs and the wider community; hostilities and threats from cattle rustlers and the community; regressive cultural practices that romanticize cattle rustling; boundary disputes and corruption within LPCs and the security agencies responsible for combating cattle rustling. The study concluded that despite their presence, the capacity of LPCs in Tiaty East and the North Rift zone to navigate the fragile peace and effectively combat cattle rustling is substantially hindered by these challenges. It recommends enhanced capacity building for LPCs, formal legal recognition of LPCs within security frameworks, and the implementation of community-level integrity vetting processes.