The Akamba-maasai Conflicts Over the Nol-turesh Water Pipeline Project in Kajiado County 1991- 2017

Abstract

This project paper seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the Kamba-Maasai conflict over the use of the Nol Turesh water pipeline project in the counties of Kajiado, Machakos, and Makueni. This project paper examines the causes of the Kamba-Maasai conflict, the nature of the conflict, the impact of the conflict on the two communities, and conflict resolution approaches used to resolve the conflicts. Framed with the Common Pool Resource theory which focuses on the provision of equal benefit sharing and fairness in resource access, resulting in long-term peace between the parties and using library and field research, the research discovered that complains of unequal pipeline water distribution dominate the discourse of water conflicts in these three counties. The findings indicate that while conflicts between communities using the pipeline water are inescapable, different water sources can help to settle these conflicts.