By Mabinty M. Kamara
The government of Sierra Leone has approved a set of by-laws designed to resolve a decade long conflict between cattle herders and crop farmers in six Chiefdoms in the eastern Kono District.
The chiefdoms that have been at the center of these conflicts are Toli, Soa, Masindor, Lei, Fiama and Gbense. The document containing the regulations was presented to the Minister of Local Government and Development, Tamba Lamina, at a special event held on the 30th May, 2020 in the district headquarters town of Kidu, by the Executive Director of the Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD), a non-Governmental Organization which facilitated its drafting.
NMJD facilitated the drafting of the regulations under a project titled: “Promoting Sustainable Peaceful Co-existence and Healthy Living Conditions in Kono District.” It was supported by the Irish Aid through Christian Aid Sierra Leone.
The new by-laws seek to address the conflict points between crop and livestock farmers. Issues like animal theft, water sources, behavior of cattle herders and a host of other points were addressed.
Sallieu Kamara, Communications Director of NMJD, told Politico that the drafting of the by-laws was inclusive of all community stakeholders and entailing a “wide range of consultations” with the different stakeholders in the district, including chiefs, local councils, women, youths, societal heads, religious leaders and farmers.
“The by-laws are designed in a way that they will allow for the two groups of farmers to co-exist peacefully and amicably and carry out their individual activities without hurting each other,” he explained.
In his statement at the presentation ceremony, Local Government Minister Tamba Lamina said that it was incumbent for everybody to take responsibility in the chiefdoms to ensure peaceful co-existence. He added that peace and national cohesion were President Julius Maada Bio’s call for all Sierra Leoneans.
Lamina called on the Paramount Chiefs to take lead in collecting data on the number of cattle settlements and ranches that exist in each of the chiefdoms where livestock are reared as per the provisions of the by-laws; which states that not more than twenty cattle should be under the control of one herdsman.
He called on the traditional authorities to also help in the popularization of the by-laws to their subjects.
In his statement, Chairman, Council of Paramount Chiefs in Kono, PC Emmanuel Tamba Torche Foryoh, explained that conflict between the cattle herders and crop farmers was almost a security threat in the six chiefdoms of the district.
PC Foryoh added that the endorsed by- laws would now become a workable document that would bring peace and sanity between both groups.
Senior District Officer in Kono, Augustine Forgbe, assured all that they would ensure that the by-laws are enforced to the latter
During the presentation of the document to the Minister, Abu Brima, Executive Director of the Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD), noted that the move was part of his organization’s 25-year strategic plan, which aimed at making governance and justice workable for all.
He called on the duty bearers and the people to popularize the document at community level for a lasting peace and co –existence.
Representatives of both the cattle herders and crop farmers from the six chiefdoms said with the establishment of the by-laws they would now see themselves as one and promised to help in the popularization of the document.
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