THE INFLUENCE OF CONFLICT REPORTS IN THE MEDIA ON PERFORMANCE OF FOREIGN TRADE AND DIRECT INVESTMENT IN KENYA FROM 1982 – 2005

Abstract

This article examines the role the media played in covering the conflict events leading to the worst ever post-election violence that occurred in Kenya in 2008. The article focuses on the perceptions of the nature and trend of conflict reports that were highlighted in Kenya‟s media from 1982 to 2005 and their influence on the performance of external trade and foreign direct investment. The study employed the ex-post facto descriptive survey research design to collect data from a sample of 200 media personnel and involved an assessment of documentary evidence on the subject during the period in question. The study was based in Nairobi county of Kenya. The study found that over the years, Kenya‟s media concentrated on highlighting conflicts at the expense of development issues. The conflict reports were generally frequent covering corruption cases and political conflicts such as inter- and intraparty conflicts, constitution conflict, lobby/ pressure group conflict, business conflict and religion conflicts. The conflicts reported are mainly political, based on ethnic and/ or religions considerations. Whereas the media channels might have created competition among themselves to tap the required profits, the manner in which this was done was ill- motivated. The conflict reports had a negative influence on Kenya‟s external trade and foreign direct investment opportunities. As education is a vital force in empowering people, so is the media an important component in the process of education, peace and conflict resolution.