INVESTIGATING ROLE OF MEDIA IN PEACE BUILDING IN NAKURU COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Peace building involves initiatives designed to rebuild war-torn societies after following an end into conflict, as well as measures that can to prevent conflict before it erupts. Attention for media’s role on peace-building is increasing today more than always and this study therefore sought to investigate role of media in peace building in Nakuru County. The specific objectives that guided the study were four-fold: To identify and establish the media houses currently operating in Nakuru to ensure sustainable peace in Nakuru County, to find out the role of media in ensuring peace building in Nakuru County, to examine challenges faced by the media in initiating peace building in Nakuru County and to determine measures to manage these challenges faced by the media in initiating peace building in Nakuru County. The study adopted explanatory research design with purposive sampling technique employed in selecting sample of respondents who participated in the study. The sample size for the study was 70 respondents drawn across the media houses operating in Nakuru County, and in addition a focus group discussion was held with the District Security and Peace committee members. The study used structured questionnaires for data collection. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19.0 was used to analyze the quantitative data collected and presented in form of frequency tables, pie charts and percentages. From the findings of the study, conflict resolution, professionalism and veracity of media fraternity, provision of accurate and unbiased information to populations and public opinion can be an instrument that media could work on to ensure peace building in both Nakuru County and the whole country in totality. The study further recommended that there is an urgent need for media council to intervene and regulate the content of media in disseminating information to the public and also should put checks and balances through constant monitoring and evaluation, coming up with a reward system for instance any media practitioner who uses the media as a medium to champion peace should be awarded.