By Jon Hargreaves
Eastern Kenya’s Tana River County has long been affected by violent conflict. Since the nineteenth century, violence has frequently flared up between different ethnic groups especially over land use and access to water. However, fuelled by the easy access to weapons from neighbouring Somalia, the intensity of these conflicts has increased in recent decades. Poverty and political interference has added fuel to the fire, along with pressure from Al Shebab extremists who are trying to destabilise Kenya.
It is for that reason that journalists from HCR’s partner station, Amani FM are undergoing training as “peace ambassadors.” The training equips them with the tools to design and create feature stories and talk-shows that promote peace, using the airwaves of Amani FM in Garsen and TBS (Tana Broadcasting Service), in Hola. They also learn mediation skills and are trained in understanding about the root causes of violence and how to involve communities in transforming conflict to peaceful outcomes.
One of the main architects of the project, HCR Associate Kelvin Nyangweso, says that besides training journalists, they have also been training church leaders. “Inspired by the example of Jesus,” he says, “ The church has a key role to play in building peace in Tana River, helping people understand and overcome their differences and in building community cohesion.”
Over the course of the next few weeks journalists, religious leaders and community members will be producing a series of peace programmes which will help to promote dialogue and engage young people who are particularly vulnerable to radicalisation.
HCR’s Kelvin Nyangweso plans the peace project with Amani FM station manager Harriet Atyang