The Government officially launched the Ateker Leaders Council – Kenyan Chapter in Lodwar, Turkana County, in a move aimed at deepening peace and cooperation among Ateker communities living across Kenya’s borders with Uganda, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.
The launch, presided over by Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Dr. Raymond Omollo, brought together community leaders under a formal platform designed to resolve conflicts, promote dialogue, and drive development in one of Kenya’s most expansive pastoral regions.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Omollo drew on the community’s own sense of identity as the foundation for the initiative.
“The Ateker community is bound not just by geography, but by a shared identity and destiny. This Council provides a structured platform to strengthen peace, resolve conflicts, and unlock opportunities for our people.”
The Ateker peoples, who include the Turkana, Iteso, Karamojong, Jie, and related groups, share deep cultural, linguistic, and historical ties that cut across four national boundaries.
Cross-border tensions over water and pasture have historically been a flashpoint in the region, making a formal coordination structure significant.
The launch was coordinated by the Peacebuilding and Conflict Management Directorate, which has been at the forefront of efforts to institutionalise community-led peace processes across Kenya’s border and pastoral regions.
The Kenyan Chapter will work alongside existing Government security and administration structures, serving as a community-anchored complement to State-led peace efforts. Dr. Omollo reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to empowering communities to lead their own peacebuilding, preserve cultural heritage, and contribute to regional stability.
The launch forms part of the Government’s wider push to for integration in border and pastoral areas across the country.
