Changes in Cattle Rustling on Gender Relations Among the Pokot in West Pokot, Kenya

Andrew Gitau Kimani,Pacificah Kwamboka Okemwa,Casper Masiga

doi:10.22178/pos.70-13

Abstract

Evidence of change in cattle rustling practice among pastoralist communities worldwide has been noted with globalisation, education, and modernisation, among other factors. However, there is little known about transformation in men and women's involvement in this practice in the wake of easy accessibility of small and light weapons and breakdown of the traditional leadership and control systems. This paper examined the transformation in cattle rustling practice among the Pokot community in West Pokot county. This study's target population included adult residents of the Pokot community, community elders, opinion leaders, political and administrative leaders, and local and international NGOs dealing with cattle rustling issues in West Pokot County. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to recruit 350 respondents. An unstructured questionnaire, a critical informant interview guide, a focus group discussion guide, and an observation guide were used to collect primary data. Qualitative data collected was analysed using patterns and critical themes of this particular objective. Quantitative data analysis was organised using the SPSS software version 2.0 and analysed using various descriptive statistics. The findings indicated that transformation in cattle rustling had seen a cultural activity for the young people to demonstrate their courage and wit and become a murderous criminal endeavour. The community no longer benefits from cattle rustling, but only a few are driven by greed to reap where they never sow. Illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, community conflicts, possession of firearms and insecurity were identified as the leading causes of cattle rustling. Access to formal education has seen many in the school-going age among the West Pokot get exposed to literacy, which has gradually recorded a positive transformation about its cattle rustling practices. Based on the findings, the paper makes the following recommendations to address the problem of cattle rustling among the people of West Pokot County: Enlightenment on contemporary ways of life; formal education among the Pokot to be advocated for; enhancing Security in West Pokot; opening a platform for peace talk and persuasions and operationalising the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation protocol.

Highlights

Cattle rustling is a practice that is common in many communities globally
This paper aims to assess the effects of changes in cattle rustling on gender relations among the Pokot in West Pokot, Kenya
The study examined various subthemes among them; the gender roles and raids, the role of women, involvement of unmarried young men and women; knowledge and responsibility for various stages of cattle rustling and how the practice of paying bride wealth is related to cattle raids

Summary

Introduction

Cattle rustling is a practice that is common in many communities globally. In many ways, it has altered gender roles and negatively impacts the family set-up, undermines development and disrupts the livelihoods of households. Pokot traditions enforce a well-respected hierarchy in the family where men (as husbands) are considered heads while women (as wives) are accorded authority and respect in chronological order. The first wife has the highest authority among the wives, which helps maintain social order. This implies that regarding cattle rustling, both men and women benefit from the proceeds of cattle raids by the relationship they share, mainly as husbands and wives. Individualism rather than communal ownership of land and wealth in the modern-day West Pokot means that there is a high likelihood that a woman will demand equal rights and control over family wealth as provided in the customary law of the Kenyan constitution [1]

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Conclusion