The boundary shifters of North Western Kenya

Abstract

Shifting of ethnic and/or administrative boundaries is a subject of concern in North Western Kenya. The paper presents the formal and the informal pictures of the contested and often shifted boundaries as well as the current justification in each case. The paper presents that the creation of ethnic boundaries in 1932-34 enhanced ethnic consciousness, a factor that now determines access to public services. The contest over boundaries should be understood from the background of ethnicity. Use of archival sources and primary data are combined to provide historical and contemporary perspectives. Boundary shifting is a common factor in this region pitting pastoralists against pastoralists, pastoralists against agro-pastoralists and even further agro-pastoralists versus agro-pastoralists with consequent disruption of livelihoods. Finally the paper recommends the avenue for resolving the problem of boundary shifting in the region.

Keywords: Boundary, ethnic, administrative, conflict, shifting.