A section view of IFO 2 refugee camp in Dadaab. [File, Standard]
For decades, Kakuma has been known globally as one of Africa’s largest refugee settlements, a place associated with humanitarian assistance, displacement and recurring challenges of hosting people fleeing conflict from across the region.
Yet behind this familiar narrative lies another important story: one of deliberate peacebuilding, social cohesion and community resilience. The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the Department of Refugee Services (DRS), the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK), the Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities (AIPG), the Turkana County Government, security agencies and other stakeholders, demonstrate that sustainable peace is built not merely through humanitarian relief, but by investing in relationships between people.
Through extensive research and dialogue, the Commission identified structural drivers of tension: competition over water and grazing land, unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, perceptions of unequal access to services, misinformation, hate speech, cultural misunderstandings and weak conflict management mechanisms.
This evidence-based approach is significant. Too often, peacebuilding initiatives respond only after violence has occurred. NCIC instead sought to understand why conflicts emerge in the first place. The subsequent dialogue forums brought together refugee leaders, host community representatives, security agencies, county officials, youth, women and development partners. What emerged was remarkable, not accusations, but consensus. Participants jointly acknowledged that lasting peace requires equitable development, fair resource sharing, stronger local governance, youth empowerment, better communication and continuous dialogue. They recognised that markets, schools, sports, cultural exchanges, intermarriages and joint business ventures are not merely social activities but powerful peace infrastructure capable of reducing stereotypes and strengthening trust.
Perhaps most importantly, communities reaffirmed their commitment to peaceful coexistence, demonstrating that despite existing pressures, the desire for harmony remains stronger than the forces driving division. We did not stop at dialogue. Recognising that conversations alone cannot sustain peace, we moved into the next phase, building the capacity of those responsible for maintaining peace at the local level.
Security officers, refugee block leaders, host community representatives, women leaders, youth leaders and civil society organisations underwent intensive training in conflict analysis, mediation, negotiation, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), reconciliation, Early Warning and Early Response (EWER), hate speech prevention, mental health and psychosocial support, and conflict-sensitive communication.
This represents a shift from reactive security responses towards preventive peacebuilding. Participants learned to identify early indicators of conflict before violence erupts: rising rumours, inflammatory language, and competition at water points, youth mobilisation and growing mistrust between communities. Equally important, they were equipped with practical tools to intervene through dialogue and community engagement.