Residents in Wajir North and Eldas Sub-Counties have been urged to engage in dialogue in a bid to end clan based conflicts in the region.
Former Wajir South MP and Somali’s United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) special envoy Mohamed Abdi Affey urged the elders in the region to promote peace and co-existence between community and clans.
Affey said that the contentious issues of border demarcation would be easily resolved if peace between clans was given a chance.
Speaking during a two day peace caravan on Saturday, Affey said that the communities should end the long years of fighting which has negatively affected the growth of the region in terms of development.
The former envoy said that lives and property worth millions of shillings had been lost and many residents displaced due to inter clan fighting.
“We have tried other options which have not worked. It is time to give dialogue a chance. Elders from the region should lead peace efforts,”
“Clan–based violence is a thing of the past which should be avoided. We need conflict resolution mechanisms that are free of bloodshed,” said Affey.
“The world has moved on and people are inventing technological products and making technological advances while we are stuck in the 19th century fighting over pasture and water,” he added.
Warring communities have been feuding over a long-running boundary dispute and limited natural resources.