Sport As A Medium For Inter-Community Communication In Peace Building: A Study Of One Peace Foundation In Kenya

Abstract

In development communication, sport as Edutainment has been used in tackling social issues such as health, conflict resolution and peace building. While empirical evidence exists on use of sport for development to engage local communities in tackling these social issues through participatory communication, such is lacking in Kenya especially in peace building initiatives. In Kenya armed conflict between the Pokot, Turkana and their neighbors has existed over the years leading to lack of peace. Various interventions have been employed to restore peace, including marathon sport. This study assessed the significance of marathon sport in facilitating inter-community participatory communication in peace building. The specific research questions were: How do the communities perceive the use of sport in peace building initiatives? How has sport contributed to societal perceptions on inter-community conflict? What are the challenges faced in the use of sport in peace-building? The study adopted a social constructivist-interpretive philosophical worldview and a qualitative-case study design. The target population comprised of government representatives, communities’ elders (both men and women), marathon participants, youth leaders, reformed warriors, the organizations staff, media representatives and marathon organizers. A sample size of 56 participants was selected. Purposive, quota and snow ball sampling techniques were employed. Data generation techniques were in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, observation and document analysis. Data were analyzed thematically. Key finding was that communities’ perceived sport to have contributed to peace building through participatory commmunication and positively influenced their perceptions towards intercommunity conflict thus embracing peace building and alternative livelihoods. The study recommends; communication concerns to be factored in all development projects generally and specifically sport to be considered as a peace building medium. The study will inform further research in communication studies specifically, development Communication. It also provides a communication model for use in peace building initiatives that could be useful in the Pokot-Turkana area and similar contexts.