Interethnic Marriages, Border Markets and Cattle Rustling: A Study of Ethnic Cleavages in Rural Kenya

This paper addresses the question as to whether interethnic marriages reduce cattle rustling and its related violence in rural Kenya? Previous findings on the relationship between interethnic marriages and violent conflicts in rural areas are mixed. On the one hand, contacts resulting from interethnic marriages can build closer ties among ethnic groups. On the other hand, inter‐group competition resulting from closer interaction may breed friction, especially in communities with a history of deep inequalities and injustices. At the centre of this dialectical relation lies the question of the mitigating effect of interethnic border markets. We use randomised perception survey data to compare the rate of interethnic marriages among the Luo, Abakuria and Maasai and measure the prevalence of cattle rustling and its related violence, notably killings, within the three ethnic cleavages (i.e., Luo—Abakuria, Abakuria—Maasai, Maasai—Luo). The survey is complimented with qualitative data. Results show that the overall interethnic marriage rate is 1.9 out of 3, indicating that interethnic marriage is relatively common, albeit constricted. The qualitative data complement the results and shed light on critical nuances resulting from cultural and political factors in interethnic relations in Kenya.