Kapedo valley at the border of Turkana and Baringo counties has been the bone of contention for more than six decades, pitting neighboring communities against each other.
Many community leaders have ruled out suggestions that the violence could be fuelled by cattle rustlers.
Residents also claim that the number of animals has been dwindling over time, pouring water on allegations of cattle rustling.
Hidden below the banditry and violence is an unending scenic paradise which the communities are willing to kill for.
According to a resident, Harun Muya one of the most dangerous places in the area is near hot springs that are the source of River Suguta.
The springs feedwater over a small escarpment to create a hot waterfall which is one of the tourist attractions and also a source of conflict.
During less violent times, tourists have enjoyed hot baths whose temperature can be regulated by swimming closer or further from the source.
The hot waterfalls create a huge natural spa with mineral water which is refreshing to the skin.
However, during the dry season such as January, the absence of rain pushes the warring communities to fight for the water and pasture around the springs, a nearby airstrip, and the surrounding areas of Solar and Kasarani.
Kapedo is also home to a blood-red alkaline lake which is a sight to behold.
Without scientific explanation, myth peddlers would claim the lake is symbolic of the bloodshed witnessed in the area over the years.
Experts say that as the lake dries out, its salinity increases. The warm water’s high salt concentration makes what’s left of the lake a prime breeding ground for Dunaliella algae, which turns the water blood-red.
