THE DYNAMICS OF DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES IN SUSTAINABLE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN THE ILEMI TRIANGLE

Peace continues to be elusive in the Ilemi Triangle, which is located at the intersection of Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan. This study focused on the Dassanech and Turkana communities due to the increased frequency and intensity of violent conflicts between them. Drawing from the Systems Theory, the study explored how the local social organising through decision making processes impacts on how people respond to the conflict. Using qualitative case study methods, the study involved in-depth interviews with members of the Dassanech and Turkana communities who were purposively selected to include different members of the community structure who engage in intercommunal dialogue. These in-depth interviews were supplemented by focus group discussions (FGD) of participants through quota sampling. Each FGD had members who had been affected by the conflict from four kraals/kebele on either side of the conflict line. The data was subjected to a thematic analysis and organised into themes and sub-themes, from which patterns were identified and used for further research and reporting. Indigenous conflict management through decision making, according to the findings, include identifying the routes to graze, when to or not to fetch water, and how to respond to incidences of conflict involving the other community. The decisions made create strategies that provide security for the community and are the reference point for sustainable peace initiatives involving stakeholders in the triangle.