BEYOND SECURITY: PROTECTING LIVELIHOODS AND BUILDING PEACE IN THE NORTH RIFT

Sustainable peace goes beyond restoring security. It requires protecting livelihoods, improving access to essential services and creating opportunities for communities to thrive. In pastoral regions, healthcare, education and livestock protection remain critical to community resilience, peaceful coexistence and long-term stability.

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), under Operation Maliza Uhalifu (OMU), partnered with Medical Missions Africa (MeMA) to deliver humanitarian assistance to residents of Napeitom in Turkana County, integrating healthcare, educational support and livestock protection into ongoing Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) initiatives.

The joint medical team, comprising KDF leaders and personnel and MeMA representatives led by Madam Lucy, provided essential healthcare services, including treatment for children and cancer screening for both men and women. The outreach sought to bridge healthcare access gaps and improve the wellbeing of communities facing geographical and other barriers to medical services.

Beyond healthcare, the team distributed school uniforms to learners, supporting children’s welfare and reinforcing education as a foundation for opportunity, social development and lasting peace.

Recognising livestock as the economic lifeline of pastoral communities, the joint team also provided veterinary services to animals belonging to members of both the Turkana and Pokot communities. The intervention aimed to improve livestock health, protect household assets and safeguard livelihoods while promoting cooperation and peaceful coexistence between neighbouring communities.

The initiative reflects KDF’s broader approach to peace and security in the North Rift, where military operations are complemented by humanitarian interventions that address community needs and build public trust.

By protecting lives, supporting education and securing pastoral livelihoods, KDF and its partners are helping create conditions for resilient communities, stronger social cohesion and sustainable peace across the North Rift.