Faith based media in peace building and reconciliation in Kenya

Abstract

The interventions, following the infamous 2007/8 post-election violence in Kenya, brought to fore initiatives of dialogue and peace building and reconciliation. Individuals, organizations and institutions rose to the occasion in a variety of ways, each one of them seeking to make a contribution to the restoration of Kenya. Strategies that worked around dialogue, healing, reconciliation and rehabilitation were immense. This paper focused on the role of the media, particularly faith based, in addressing the plight that faced Kenya during and after the 2007/8 post-election violence period. Their contact and communication with the community through various programs have been highlighted and dialogued in the study. Of significance are the endeavors to challenge the people, individually and collectively in a manner that sought to prick their conscience thus begging of them to be mindful of each others’ welfare and each others’ keepers. A variety of media programs that ran during the post-election violence period were cited and analyzed. It came out clearly that faith based media played a pivotal role in peace building and reconciliation during and after the 2007/8 post-election violence in Kenya.