Governor Mahmoud Ali during a previous peace meeting in the county. Residents have been urged to use mediation to solve their differences. Photo: Interpeace.
As peace slowly returns in the county, peace ambassadors in Marsabit have called on residents to embrace mediation in settling their small differences, before taking the matter to court.
Sisae Bogalla, mediator from Inua Dada Foundation in Marsabit has urged residents to adopt mediation, as it reduces the long wait and too much protocol on issues that can be settled if mediation is used.
According to him, it will be easier for residents to solve issues including community disputes, land cases, failure by parents to take up their duties, among other minor cases that they drag to court, taking up much of their time and resources.
“Mediation is a peaceful that is recognized by the court, it works for cases that do not require the use of police like civil cases, where we do not lean on any party, we sort and write an agreement. It takes the shortage time possible as compared to our traditional courts where a simple case can be dragged for years,” he explained.
However, he clarified that all those cases involving robbery, Gender Based Violence (GBV), sexual assault and child defilement must be settled in courts, and not the Kangaroo family courts by elders, to ensure that victims receive the justice they deserve.
“All cases involving children, we normally channel them to relevant authority. We do not recommend use of mediation in such cases as well as GBV, as it denies the other party justice. Mediation with us is limited to civil, land cases, environmental cases and other issues that are not criminally involved,” Sisae clarified.
Sisae further urged resident that solving cases outside court also reduces enmity that grows, when the affected parties feel they used a lot of resources in the case, which further escalates the hatred between the two conflicting parties.
“In court there is more secrecy as compared to our courts where the parties are many and there is no confidentiality. One good thing is that the issue remains between the two parties and the mediator, unless asked to present by the courts. Let us as people of Marsabit embrace mediation as it is cheap, and here at Inua Dada we welcome all to peacefully resolve indifferences,” he urged
Earlier in a meeting convened in Dukana and North Horr following a series of community clashes and revenge, the conveners urged residents to adopt peaceful methods of resolving conflict, and shun revenge, as it makes the situation even worse.
