The Role of Development Projects by Non Governmental Organizations in Conflict Management, a Case Study of Yang’at Water Project in Turkwel, Kenya, 2015-2019

Over the years, conflict management has become a means of preventing continuing conflicts between waning factions. It is simply a shift from conflict to a peaceful future. It rests on the premise that provision of people's needs eliminates unrest and lawlessness that arise due to limited resources thus preventing a relapse of violence. In many cases involving conflict, particularly pastoral conflict, Non-Governmental Organizations have been at the fore front of mitigating the conflict and helping out in peace building. Their role has been very instrumental as they are not linked to the government and this provides a basis of bust with the pastoral community. Based on the above, the study focuses on the role of development projects by NGOs in conflict management, a case of Yang' at water project in Turkwel, 2015-2019. This study sought to analyze the role of development projects that address the core cause of pastoral conflicts and to identify effective mechanisms to better enhance the role of NGOs in conflict management among pastoral communities. This study is based on the works of John Paul Lederach on peace building. The theory sees peace building as a comprehensive concept that encompasses the full array of processes needed to transform conflict towards more sustainable and peaceful relationships. According to the proponent of this theory, a wide range of activities precede and follow formal peace accords. The study used purposive sampling technique to select the study sample. The sample was selected from Kases, Takaywa and Tokogh all in Turkwel Ward. Through conducting face to face interviews, focused group discussion and consulting documents available to the public, the research concluded that the development project conducted by Yang' at NGO that targeted the root cause of the pastoral conflict in Turkwel which was the lack of enough water resource for livestock was successful in ending the resource based conflict in the region. The study came up with the following recommendations; increased sensitivity towards gender issues, enhance peace education in pastoral communities, the adaptation of a development approach in addressing pastoral conflict and adoption of African indigenous methods of peace building.