Pastoral Conflicts at East Africa’s State Margins: Addressing the Demand for Firearms

Firearms are an important ingredient of intercommunal conflict in East Africa. However, security policy is faulted for focusing upon disarmament and neglecting drivers of arms acquisition. We revisit the previously well-studied Kenya-Uganda border area following political and developmental changes using a grounded theory approach. We reexamine the role of arms in conflict and the merits and demerits of security policy in the area. Despite disarmament operations, firearms remain and can escalate conflict and crime. However firearms are less relevant when state security is consistent and humane. The changing context has brought new conflicts but also new possibilities for peace.