Nakuru County Governor Kinuthia Mbugua now wants Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) countries to develop their own conflict resolution mechanisms.
Kinuthia said that this was the only way the region could experience peace and development
“We are able to sort our own issues. We are well aware of the things that are affecting us and hence we are the only ones who can deal with them amicably,” he added
Kinuthia was addressing diplomats from the region at Enashipai lodge where he insisted that the indigenous ways of handling conflicts would work in Africa as a continent if much emphasis is given to them.
He added: “From time immemorial, we have been able to deal with conflicts from different parts of our country. If we pick ideas from all the countries represented here on how they deal with conflict in their countries, we can come up with a very strong charter. It will be effective, decisive and efficient. We will have learnt from the best.”
The governor insisted that the resources in the county ought to be shared and maximised well so as to sustain the peace the country experiences.
Kinuthia admitted that the county was enjoying peace as a result of proper peace mechanisms that his government had undertaken and urged the other leaders to copy them.
“In the county we have had issues of tribal wars, land conflicts, business related wars and worse still political wars. However, we have adopted peace strategies from the grassroots and it has worked perfectly,” he added.
Ambassador James Kur Muorwel said that oil on the continent should not be considered as a curse but a blessing.
He said that the fighting over resources could be resolved if countries agreed to share their resources amicably.
“Africa is a rich continent and if well utilised, it can help solve many internal conflicts. We would like to see every person living in the continent affected positively by the riches of the area,” he added.