An Involvement of African Traditional Means of Reconciliation to Improve Conflict Management in Africa

Adrian R. Mwesigye 
(Department of Educational Foundations and Psychology, Faculty of Science, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda)

Abstract: Conflict in Africa has been an endemic problem. People internally conflict with one another and countries conflict with each other. More often than not when conflicts arise, forces like the UN and the ICC are called upon to manage them. The most common style of conflict management in Africa heretofore is use of courts of law introduced by colonists. An example of how African means of conflict management can be applied even in very complicated cases is the conflict in Northern Uganda. There has been a long standing conflict between Joseph Kony and the Government of Uganda. Kony has already been indicted in the ICC. But his kinsmen, who are the major victims of this conflict, insist that he should rather undergo their traditional means of conflict management (mato oput), which is as well his preference. African means of conflict management must be revisited. Use of courts of law may only suppress the conflict which does not solve the problem. The advice of Christ is very African “settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise, your opponent will hand you over to the guard, and the guard will throw you into prison” (Mt.5:25). The African means of reconciliation are an effective means of conflict management as they percolate deep into the feuding parties’ consciences, even if the rift is very wide. On the other hand, courts of law are not entirely defective in their administration of justice, since retribution is usually exercised. The offended party gets gratification. This paper calls for an integration of both systems to manage conflicts in Africa.

Key words: conflict management, International Criminal Court (ICC), Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), mato oput, victim perspective, victim’s satisfaction