County commissioner Peter Okwanyo

He should learn to talk tough (and take the bull by the horns) like Marwa.

I think this is very sound advise from someone who understands the conditions of the pastoral communities; Pokot, Turkana, Samburu etc.

In drought conditions like we have now the best advise is coexistence and trying to get along. The conditions themselves will create hostility and some people will die like they have always died in the never ending hostilities but you can never take a hardline position as a government unless you want to commit genocide. These are warrior communities and they have a way of life that predates Kenya, actually many of them talk about going to Kenya when they want to go to Kitale or Kapenguria. The best a government can do is to contain the hostilities so they do not spill over as you allow slower more effective peace making means like education and cultural changes to take root. This is problem that takes decades to solve. If in 30 years the killings have reduced by 50% you consider that a success.

Naija, another dysfunctional state has a worse problem with out of control fulani herdsmen.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36139388

The Pokot and the like do not get it when you say they cannot graze in their traditional grazing grounds (conservancies etc) in time of drought. It means their animals die, that is a equivalent to a genocide as their food supply is curtailed. If I was a Pokot in the same situation and there is grass over the ridge, I would drive my animals there too backed up with a few warriors. Calling these people bandits is wrong, it implies they are engaging in wilful criminal activity.