National Defence University-Kenya2025-02-062025-02-062024-12https://repository.ndu.ac.ke/handle/123456789/53The ASAL regions of the North Rift Region of Kenya have faced multifaceted security challenges. Successive government regimes have put in place various interventions but the insecurity in the region persists. This has led to underdevelopment, and loss of lives, property, and livelihoods. This research sought to analyse the security interventions in the North Rift region with the aim of proffering novel approaches for sustainable security. The study analysed the nature of conflict, causes of conflict, previous interventions employed by state and non-state actors and the resultant various levels of success. The research employed a mixed-method approach while testing theories and analysing data. The approach included qualitative methods such as focus groups discussions in six counties and interviews to key informants. Their responses were triangulated with the administration of questionnaires to local residents in the hotspot locations and sublocations along the conflict belt. The nature of conflicts between the warring communities of North Rift are largely similar: loss of human lives, destruction of property, stealing of livestock and displacement of populations. The study posits that the root causes of these conflicts and insecurity are founded in social, cultural, economic, political and historical factors. The outcome of this study attributes the failure of some of the interventions in ending the conflict to lack of commitment from the government and political goodwill in implementation of some of the interventions. The study unanimously found out that it will take full commitment and support of the government and political goodwill to bring insecurity to its conclusive end. Some of the approaches proposed include comprehensive disarmament, intelligence based operations, streamlining NPRs, enhancing law enforcement and tightening legal and criminal prosecution, as well as effective inventory management of ammunition. Other proposed interventions include politically driven interventions, socio- economic interventions, and technologically driven interventions. The study recommends an establishment of a Centralised Coordinating Body that will be dedicated to North Rift purposely to drive government efforts and all the NGOs/CBOs. Another option is an enhanced Whole of Government Approach to consolidate all lines of effort in the existing government interventions and be able to roll out a Marshall Plan to comprehensively address insecurity. In addition, winning the support of the local communities by the Security Agencies will be an indicator of effective response rather than seeking compensation for stolen animals.