Abstract: Resource-based conflicts among agro-pastoral communities living along Kerio Valley, Kenya, continue to threaten livelihoods, social cohesion and sustainable peace despite the use of indigenous and formal conflict resolution mechanisms. This study assessed the efficacy of integrating indigenous knowledge with modern conflict resolution mechanisms in managing resource-based conflicts and sustaining peaceful coexistence. The study was guided by the hybrid governance theoretical perspective, which emphasizes complementarity between customary and formal institutions. A descriptive survey design using a mixed-methods approach was adopted. The target population comprised approximately 49,650 households across Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo and West Pokot counties. A sample of 382 household heads was determined using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table, alongside 30 purposively selected key informants and four focus group discussions. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, interview guides, focus group discussion guides and observation checklists. Content validity was established through expert review, while reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, with coefficients above 0.70 considered acceptable. Findings revealed that 87.3% of respondents supported integration, 83.5% perceived it as improving conflict resolution effectiveness, and 77.5% considered hybrid systems more effective than single approaches. The study concluded that integrated approaches offered substantial potential for strengthening conflict management and peaceful coexistence. It recommended formal inclusion of elders in peace committees, clear institutional coordination and referral procedures, capacity building and adequate resourcing, alongside improved security interventions and sustainable management of water and pasture resources.

Abstract: For decades, resource-based conflicts continue to disrupt livelihoods in the Kerio Valley, yet existing studies often attribute them to cattle rustling alone and offer limited evidence on how competing claims over land, water, and pasture interact with climate stress and weak governance. This study determined the drivers of resource-based conflicts among agro-pastoralist communities along the Kerio Valley. A descriptive survey design using mixed-methods approach was employed. Using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) sample size formula a sample of 382 household heads were selected from a target of 49,500, complemented by 30 purposively selected key informants and four focus group discussions, giving 412 respondents. Data were collected usingstructured questionnaires, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and observation checklists. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS version 26, and qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Ethical approval, informed consent, confidentiality, and voluntary participation were observed. Pearson correlation showed that all drivers had significant negative relationships with conflict management outcomes: cattle rustling (r = -.548, p < .01), cultural and ethnic rivalries (r = -.502, p < .01), scarcity of pasture and water (r = -.457, p < .01), and climate and environmental stress (r = -.421, p < .01). The study concluded that conflict arises from interacting drivers, with raiding and rivalries most damaging to peace outcomes. It recommended strengthening community-led peace mechanisms, equitable management of water and grazing, consistent enforcement of land-use regulations, and climate adaptation with livelihood diversification.