Pastoralist Leadership Summit 2024 Kicks Off in Wajir with Calls for Unity and Policy Reforms
The 4th Pastoralist Leadership Summit 2024 officially opened at Wajir Girls Secondary School in Wajir County, drawing approximately 600 delegates, including governors, members of parliament, county assembly members, stakeholders, and development partners from 15 pastoralist counties. The summit’s theme, *”Unlocking Policy and Financial Bottlenecks to Maximise Pastoralism Potential in Kenya,”* seeks to address key challenges facing pastoralist communities and shape the future of the sector.
National Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Moses Wetang’ula, presided over the opening ceremony as the chief guest. In his address, Wetang’ula commended the summit organizers, notably the Chairperson of the Pastoralist Parliamentary Group, Hon. Major (Rtd) Bashir Sheikh, and Patron Hon. (Rtd) Col. Dido Raso, for creating a platform that fosters dialogue and collaboration on issues affecting pastoralist communities.
“The pastoralist economy is crucial to Kenya’s economic fabric, and this summit offers us an opportunity to address its challenges,” Wetang’ula remarked. He emphasized the need for improved livestock production, better breed quality, and stronger marketing strategies. He further urged the delegates to leverage their collective influence in Parliament to advocate for favorable policies and increased funding for the sector.
Highlighting the role of devolution, Wetang’ula pointed out the positive changes that have occurred in pastoralist regions. “If you visit Wajir today, even a doubting Thomas will see that devolution works,” he said, underscoring the tangible development achieved through devolved governance. He also drew attention to the need for a shift in Kenya’s production-consumption model, advocating for local production and trade as a priority.
The issue of insecurity, a long-standing challenge in pastoralist areas, was also addressed by the Speaker. He stressed that resolving security issues could unlock significant development opportunities for the region. “If we can resolve issues of insecurity, many of our challenges will be significantly reduced,” he said.
Host Governor H.E. Ahmed Abdullahi, who also chairs the Council of Governors, spoke about how devolution has benefited marginalized pastoralist counties. He noted that the summit is an opportunity to identify gaps that still require donor support and collaboration to address.
Hon. Bashir Sheikh, the Chairperson of the Pastoralist Parliamentary Group, emphasized the importance of the summit as a platform for structured dialogue and actionable solutions to transform pastoralist communities. He reaffirmed his county’s commitment to the summit’s objectives.
Patron Hon. Dido Raso called for greater integration of pastoralist economies into Kenya’s broader development agenda, pointing out that challenges such as climate change, drought, and flooding continue to disrupt livelihoods in pastoralist regions.
Hon. Leah Sankaire, the Kajiado County MP and chairperson of the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA), also made a call for government involvement in livestock rearing, similar to the support offered to other agricultural sectors like coffee and tea. “We need the government to be involved in cattle rearing from birth to marketing, just like it is done with coffee and tea,” she said.
As the summit progresses, discussions will focus on climate change, drought resilience, governance in pastoralist regions, and strategies to strengthen the livestock economy. The summit also aims to develop a unified pastoralist agenda that will be presented to the national government for consideration.
In his closing remarks, Speaker Wetang’ula urged delegates to focus on unity, emphasizing that “minimizing differences and amplifying unity” is key to advancing the pastoralist agenda. He called on leaders to work together as part of a larger Kenyan community, ensuring the prosperity of all.
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