The Turkana County Government, through its Department of Resource Mobilization, Partnerships and Donor Coordination, has partnered with the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK) to train county officers, administrators and other stakeholders on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
The training aimed to equip participants with practical skills to resolve disputes outside the formal court system, promote peaceful coexistence and reduce the burden on courts.
The programme was coordinated by Deputy Director Michael Aupe and brought together county officials, peace officers and representatives from partner institutions.
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Esther Lokitoe, a certified mediator and member of the Alternative Justice Systems in Turkana, highlighted the importance of ADR, noting that it provides faster and more accessible avenues for resolving disputes that do not necessarily require court intervention.
Nabwile Sifuna, a Project Officer for Peace and Social Justice at RCK, facilitated a session on the ADR process using the funnel approach. She emphasised practical mechanisms for handling disputes, particularly land-related conflicts and other community disagreements.
Sifuna noted that as government operations demand greater efficiency, internal misunderstandings and unresolved workplace conflicts can disrupt the delivery of essential public services. She said the training was intended to strengthen conflict management and encourage collaborative problem-solving.
Participants were equipped with skills to analyse disputes across four key areas: interpersonal dynamics, structural factors, underlying institutional interests and organisational culture.
At the workplace level, the initiative seeks to help teams address everyday disagreements, manage personal friction, clarify overlapping responsibilities and improve communication among officers.
The training also highlighted the need for continued capacity building and community sensitisation on Alternative Justice Systems to strengthen local dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Participants proposed establishing a communication platform to improve coordination and facilitate follow-up engagements. Sub-County Administrator Christine Ekai was selected to lead the initiative.
The team also called on the Department of Resource Mobilization, Partnerships and Donor Coordination to support further community sensitisation and longer-term training, including engaging partners to provide the necessary backing.
Those who attended included Jerry Ekimwomwor, Personal Aide to the Deputy Governor; Patrick Nacho from Turkana East; Gabriel Kenoi, representing Kakuma Municipality; Peterson Erus, an administrator in the County Secretary’s office; Peace Officers Simon Enyapu and Magdaline Kotol from Turkana South; Economist Stella Ethekon; and Jesus Lotim, representing the Department of Refugee Services (DRS).
The initiative is expected to strengthen the capacity of county institutions and community stakeholders to manage disputes constructively, support peaceful coexistence and improve service delivery.