SUMMARY

The Samburu live in the Samburu district in the Rift Valley Province, while the Somali (Kenya) inhabit the neighboring Eastern and North-eastern Provinces. Relations between the two groups have been characterized by cattle and camel raids for decades. Such raids have a circular pattern, since, in order to assure survival, raided tribes must retaliate against other tribes to replenish lost livestock. While traditionally raids were comparably non-violent, the increased availability of modern weapons worsened their scale and impact.

In the mid-1990s, and additional dimension was added to the relationship between the Samburu and the Somali (Kenya) as a severe drought hit the already arid homelands of the two groups. Consequently, pasture and water sources became even scarcer, and the two groups were forced to travel far in order to assure survival. The desperation from scarce pasture and water and the increased contact between the two groups due to increased traveling both led to increased tensions, ultimately leading to the outbreak of violence.

Violence between the two groups was focused to Isiolo town and the surrounding area, and erupted in June 1996. After a series of first clashes, both groups brought in reinforcements from fellow tribesmen, the Somali (Kenya) even recruiting in Somalia. Along with reinforcement, an increase in modern weaponry was observed. Fighting continued throughout the summer, and the situation only slowly calmed down in the fall, partly due to increased presence and activity of the state security forces.

It is noteworthy that both, the Samburu and the Somali (Kenya), partly blame the government for the outbreak of violence. While the Samburu lament that the government fails to protect them, the Somali (Kenya) allege that the security forces are actively involved in the raids on the Samburu side.

The non-state conflict between the Samburu and the Somali (Kenya) is first included in UCDP data in 1996. In September of that year, violence between the two groups had resulted in more than 25 battle-related deaths.