IS FOOD SECURITY THE CAUSE OF CIVIL WARS?

An inauguration is supposed to be a lively event. One of those where we get to see our political leaders in a different light. We get to see the people in them because for once they are not making promises but eating the fruits of their labor just to say the least but a comment made by the president of Uganda Yoweri Museveni during president Uhuru Kenyatta’s inauguration sent my mind sprawling in thought.
 He said that the Pokot are stealing his cattle i.e. the cattle of the people of Uganda. At first I thought how absurd but think about it, is it really that absurd?

Have you ever thought of the implications of such utterances to the regional relations between two countries?  Or let’s say his words were true the implications of such actions by the Pokot to the relations between Kenya and Uganda?

I don’t mean to be alarming or look like I want to create a mountain out of a mere mole hill but that is the very cause of some of the civil wars we have witnessed in Africa over the last decade. It is such small matters that can pass for absurd ideas that cause bloodshed and death of innocent people.
 The factor behind this is idea is food insecurity; it is this competition for resources that generates cycles of hunger and hopelessness that are likely to bred violence. The cycles occur mostly in areas with great population dispersion over the national territory and thus prove difficult for the government to control rebel groups that might spring up.

But is it really fair to blame our wars on food security? When we are resting on our laurels, a vast majority of our population is ignorant and we get swayed easily by the wind blown by our political leaders to do whatever they want? Is it really food security that is the problem or are we sitting on a stool without all three feet?

Much as we would like it to be food security alone we can’t ignore the fact that we are failing in other areas thus we are hurting each other with our continued hostility towards each other. But what is the way forward do we focus on one side and try solve one issue at a time and watch the other issues grow or do we act blind to everything except that which we want to be the main factor. I don’t but I think you just might be the next Einstein with your contribution to this topic. It’s your Eureka moment