TITLE:
Recasting Low Intensity Conflicts in Laikipia County, Kenya, through Protracted Social Conflicts Paradigm: Causes, Socioeconomic, Political and Security Implications
AUTHORS:
Cosmas Ekwom Kamais, Geoffrey Pkite Mosol
KEYWORDS:
Peace, Conflict Resolution, Protracted Social Conflict, Low Intensity Conflict, Marginalization, Laikipia County
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.9 No.7,
July
21,
2022
ABSTRACT: Protracted Social Conflicts (PSC) in Kenya have occurred in several counties more so in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) with conflict management mechanisms being incapable or unwilling to find lasting resolutions. The PSCs often manifest as Low Intensity Conflicts (LIC) as experienced in many parts of the world, mutatis mutandis. In Kenya, LIC is present in form of insurgencies, banditry and ethnic conflicts. The LICs lead to untold human suffering and loss of property. Several solutions and mitigation measures have been attempted with short-term successes. Therefore there is a need to find long-lasting solutions to intractable Low Intensity Conflicts in Laikipia in order to mitigate the recurrent disruptive effects on socioeconomic development. To set the expositions in perspective, this article utilizes Protracted Social Conflict Theory postulated by Edward Azar. Through analysis of secondary data, the study found out that the root causes of conflicts in Laikipia County, included; inequality in resource distribution and marginalization, proliferation of small arms, land ownership and tenure, political incitements among others. Implications of conflicts in Laikipia County included; diminished food production, destruction of property, death of young energetic men, closure of schools, disrupted medical support provision, proliferation of small arms and light weapons among others. The study recommended that stakeholders need to develop a comprehensive conflict resolution policy framework, comprising a mixture of formal and traditional approaches, to address land tenure and marginalisation, which are the core causes of conflict.