Overlap of Mukutani Administrative Boundary and its Definition of the East Pokot–Il Chamus Conflict in North Western Kenya

Mukutani is both an area and a name for a particular administrative centre in North Western Kenya. The boundary and position of the administrative centre of Mukutani on the “boundary” of East Pokot pastoralists and Il Chamus agro-pastoralists is a long contested matter. This paper presents the history of the centre, its current status and the fluidity and shifting of the boundary between the East Pokot and Il Chamus communities, the contest over the correct name, the emergence of No-Man’s Land and the inaction by the government of Kenya. The key question investigated in this paper is: Is the East Pokot boundary defined by River Mukutani or it is nine kilometers to the North of the River? The stalemate and absence of government direction has confused people and compromised access to public services and pasture. The paper concludes that the government of Kenya has the civic duty to resolve inter-community boundary disputes.