EXPLORING THE MANAGEMENT OF INTER-CLAN CONFLICT BY NON- GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS IN WAJIR COUNTY, KENYA BY MOHAMED SHEIKH NOOR SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS IN CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION AND MANAGEMENT AT THE NELSON MANDELA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY SUPERVISOR: DR. GAVIN BRADSHAW I DECLARATION Full Name: Mohamed Sheikh Noor Student Number: 208090554 Qualification: MPHIL Conflict transformation and Management REC-H Ethics Clearance Ref No: H/12/ART/PGS-001 DECLARATION In accordance with Rule G4.6.3, I hereby declare that the above-mentioned treatise is my own work and that it has not previously been submitted for assessment to another University or for another qualification. SIGNED ………………………… DATE…………DECEMBER 2012… II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am deeply indebted to the people who have been instrumental to the success of this study. I would like to thank my Supervisor Dr. Gavin Bradshaw for the guidance, without which this treatise could not have been possible. Thanks to Mr. Sultan M. Ali, a friend and a brother in NMMU who was instrumental in this study. I sincerely thank my dear mother, Maryan (Arisha) Sheikh Mohamud, Brother Omar Sheikh Noor and Spouse Johara Adan for their support towards my studies and their continued encouragement not limited to the production of this treatise. I would also thank all individuals who have participated in the Research, particularly Elder Muhumed Hassan Mumin (Dukow), the Chairman of Al-Fatah Peace Elders, the Wajir South Development Association and the Arid lands Development Focus, Wajir Human Rights Network, the Women for Peace and most notably the Wajir Peace and Development Committee. I trust the findings of this treatise will be useful not only to the local organizations but to all stakeholders who are keen to respond to inter-clan conflicts within the local setting of the pastoral communities in Africa and beyond. III ABSTRACT The reality today is that we are all interdependent and have to co-exist on this small planet therefore, the only sensible and intelligent way of resolving differences and clashes of interests, whether between individuals or nations, is through dialogue --the Dalai Lama Nomadic pastoralist communities all over the world depend on the keeping livestock for their livelihood, and are characterized by constant migration, in search of pasture and water, or what others may call “search for greener pastures”. Most often as the case such as in Northern Kenya these communities or clans are in conflict with each other mainly over the same scarce resources- water and pasture. This particular treatise explores the role of local NGOs in managing such inter-clan conflict. As aptly put by Lewis (1981: 10-13), when grazing land is abundant, settlement patterns of the pastoral communities may include many non patrilineal kin, or other clans, the true patrilineal kin is honored when pressure arises in the form of diminishing water and pasture, in such instances those who are not one‟s clan become undesirable aliens, thus it is was not a surprise to witness, in the course of conducting the study the many sprouting settlements in Wajir County consisting of entirely agnatic kin, meant to protect “clan‟s” ideals at any costs. Intra-clan and inter-clan conflicts are thus common in the entire Northern Kenya; this study explores the management of inter-clan conflict in Wajir County, North Eastern Province of Kenya. In particular, this research offers an exploration and discussion of the sources of inter- clan conflict, the role of the local NGOs and the perceptions of the local communities, politicians, provincial administration and the local peace committees in the processes of the managing inter-clan conflicts by the local NGOs. With reference to relevant research and IV literature, as well as the researcher‟s good background understanding on the interventions of the local NGOs in Wajir County, this treatise will provide a series of recommendations to respond to the recurrent inter-clan conflict in the Wajir County, which to some extent could also be applicable to communities with similar settings in Africa and beyond. V TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................ II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................... III ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................. VI ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................. X 1. CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION AND RESEARCH OVERVIEW ............................... 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ..................................................................... 1 1.2 SPECIFIC RESEARCH PROBLEM ............................................................................... 6 1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ................................................................ 7 1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS .............................................................................................. 8 1.5 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY ................................................................................ 8 1.5.1 CONCEPTUAL DELIMITATION .......................................................................... 9 1.5.2 GEOGRAPHICAL DELIMITATION...................................................................... 9 1.5.3 TARGET POPULATION DELIMITATION ........................................................... 9 1.6 MOTIVATION OF THE RESEARCH.......................................................................... 10 1.6.1 PRACTICAL .......................................................................................................... 10 1.6.2 ACADEMIC ........................................................................................................... 10 1.7 ASSUMPTIONS MADE ............................................................................................... 11 1.8 TREATISE OUTLINE ................................................................................................... 11 1.8.1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND RESEARCH OVERVIEW ..................... 11 1.8.2 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................ 11 1.8.3 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY ........................... 12 1.8.4 CHAPTER 4: ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS ................ 12 1.8.5 CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..... 12 2. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................... 13 2.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 13 VI 2.2 SOURCES OF CONFLICT ........................................................................................... 17 2.2.1 RESOURCE SCARCITY ....................................................................................... 20 2.2.2 ETHNICITY AND CLAN STRUCTURE ............................................................. 24 2.2.3 WHO IS TO BLAME? ........................................................................................... 27 2.2.4 OTHER CAUSAL FACTORS ............................................................................... 29 2.3 MANAGEMENT OF INTER-CLAN CONFLICT IN WAJIR COUNTY ................... 33 2.4 WAJIR INTER-CLAN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT BY NGOS, CIVIC SOCIETY AND LOCAL INSTITUTIONS ............................................................................................... 35 2.4.1 STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE OF LOCAL ORGANISATIONS........................... 38 2.4.2 WAJIR INTER-CLAN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT THROUGH CUSTOMARY INSTITUTIONS ......................................................................................... 38 2.4.3 ROLE OF CLAN ELDERS/LOCAL LEADERS AND POLITICIANS ............... 39 2.4.4 COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION ........................................................................ 41 2.4.5 WAJIR PEACE COMMITTEE .............................................................................. 42 2.5 CONCLUDING REMARKS ......................................................................................... 43 3. CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY .............................. 46 3.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 46 3.2 RESEARCH METHOD AND DESIGN........................................................................ 46 3.2.1 ROLE OF METHODOLOGY ................................................................................ 46 3.2.2 SELECTION OF APPROPRIATE RESEARCH METHOD ................................. 47 3.2.3 JUSTIFICATION OF CHOICE OF RESEARCH APPROACH ........................... 52 3.3 SAMPLING ................................................................................................................... 52 3.4 DATA ............................................................................................................................. 55 3.4.1 PRIMARY DATA .................................................................................................. 55 3.4.2 SECONDARY DATA ...........................................................................................