Youth from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, South Sudan urged to lead peace efforts in Karamoja
Local leaders, including Lorengkippi Chief Nathan Longorio, praised the initiative, highlighting its deliberate transfer of peacebuilding knowledge from elders to youth.
Youth from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and South Sudan who share the Ateker cultural heritage have been urged to become key agents of peace and cooperation in the volatile Karamoja cluster.
The call came during a four-day peer-to-peer peace workshop in Turkana, supported by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
More To Read
- Ethiopia declares Nile rights non-negotiable, rejects Egypt’s ‘colonial-era’ claims
- 300,000 flee South Sudan as Kiir–Machar conflict escalates, UN warns of civil war return
- WFP warns of rising hunger among refugees in Ethiopia
- Bobi Wine condemns detention of activists Bob Njagi, Nicholas Oyoo in Uganda
- Kenya among first to receive Ethiopian exports under historic AfCFTA launch
- Ethiopia has struggled to build national unity: Can its big new dam deliver it?
Speaking at the cross-border workshop, Turkana County Deputy Governor John Erus urged the youth to spearhead unity and peaceful coexistence.
He described young people as a powerful yet underutilised force in shaping a prosperous and harmonious region.
"You are the backbone of transboundary peace and productivity. You traverse borders not to divide, but to connect," said Erus. "You are not the problem, as is often defined—you are the solution and the potential we need to unleash."
Turkana Deputy Governor John Erus speaks to youth from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and South Sudan who share the Ateker cultural heritage during a cross-border peace workshop. (Photo: Issa Hussein)
PLACE Programme
The workshop was held under the EU-funded PLACE Programme (Pastoralism and Livestock Adaptation to Climate Change) and brought together youth leaders, peacebuilders, and government officials from all four countries.
The focus was on empowering young people to take ownership of peacebuilding, early conflict detection, and sustainable resource-sharing through digital tools and community dialogue.
Field sessions in the border towns of Lokiriama and Lorengkippi allowed participants to engage in grassroots peace dialogues and learn from long-standing models that have kept tensions low between the Turkana, Pokot, and Matheniko communities across the Kenya-Uganda border.
Local leaders, including Lorengkippi Chief Nathan Longorio, praised the initiative, highlighting its deliberate transfer of peacebuilding knowledge from elders to youth.
"The Lokiriama and Lorengkippi models have long served as symbols of unity. This program ensures those legacies endure," said Chief Longorio.
Some of the local leaders and residents who participated in the event. (Photo: Issa Hussein)
Non-violent solutions
Youth peace champion Walter Lochomin, a trainee, said the workshop had shown participants the power of non-violent solutions.
"We now have the right skills to convince our peers involved in cattle rustling to change their ways. Peace leads to development, trade, and opportunity," he said.
Senior representatives from FAO, IGAD, and the Turkana County Government attended the workshop.
Key facilitators included County Commissioner Julius Kavita, CECM Wangiros James (Trade, Tourism, and Youth Affairs), and Chief Officers Ezekiel Etelej (Livestock Development), Moses Korea (Office of the Governor), and Titus Lokorikeju (Peace Directorate). Mathew Logurale of Saferworld, a key regional peace and development partner, was also in attendance.
With climate change and resource scarcity increasingly fueling conflicts in the region, organisers emphasised that youth—especially those with cross-border ties like the Ateker—are critical in sustaining peace and unlocking the region’s development potential.
Top Stories Today
