Cross Border Kinship and Protracted Resource-based Conflicts in the Horn of Africa: the Case of Borana and Gabra in Kenya and Ethiopia.

Abstract

Resource-based conflicts are rife within the Horn of Africa. These conflicts pose significant hurdles towards the continued prosperity of the region. While a majority of these conflicts are intrastate, some have become transnational, affecting communities and regions in neighbouring countries. These take the form of ethnic conflicts over the control of resources such as land and political offices. This study focuses on the Borana and Gabra conflicts in Marsabit County. Many researchers exploring the nature and causes of conflicts between these two pastoral communities have ignored the transnational dimension in the conflict. The study aims to bridge this gap by assessing the influence of cross-border ethnic alliances and marginalization in the conflict. It explores the social and economic consequences of this conflict. The proposal is pegged on primordial and instrumentalist theories of ethnic conflict. The research design employed in this study was a cross-sectional design involving the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data. The study was carried out in southern parts of Ethiopia and northern parts of Kenya-key areas where the two communities reside. The results showed that cross-border ethnic kin play important roles in the escalation of the conflict. They sell and share arms with their Kenyan counterparts. They are also involved in reinforcing their kin, manipulating elections. Hiding persons wanted by police and in forceful eviction of rival communities on the border. Ethnic marginalization due to nepotism and biased disruption of county government resources was also blamed for the animosity between the two communities. Half the respondents participated in peace meetings between the two communities. The major resolutions passed were; return of livestock stolen, compensation for loss of lives, arrest and prosecution of offenders and disbarment. Lack of support from both political and communal leaders and ineffective policing were the main challenges hindering the effectiveness of these resolutions. The study recommends an investigation of the role of the past and presents county governments on the conflict, arrest, and prosecution of wrongdoers and increased surveillance and disarmament operations in both the two countries.