SUMMARY

The Marakwet is a pastoralist ethnic group inhabiting the region between the Kerio River and the Cherangani Hills in the Rift Valley province in western Kenya. The Marakwet is a sub-tribe of the Kalenjin, a grouping of several distinct sub-groups speaking the same Kalenjin language (for more information on this group, se the sections on Kalenjin in the database). The Marakwet makes up for an estimated 82 000 people of the around three million Kalenjin.

The Marakwet is divided into a total of 13 patrilineal clans that prior to colonialism were without tribal cohesion. As a result, Marakwet today have a triple identity. The primary unit of identity is the patrilineal clan, followed by being Marakwet, making the identification with the Kalenjin group as tertiary. Nevertheless, in elections the Pokot ususally supports Kalenjin candidates, such as Daniel arap Moi in the 1992 and 1997 presidential elections. Despite the fact that there are no ethnic political parties, ethnicity plays a key role in Kenya´s politics. Candidates usually relay on the support of their own ethnic group and use animosities between the different tribes to gather support from other ethnic groups.

The Marakwet has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.