An Examination of Nature of Peace-Building Strategies Employed Among the Border Communities of Kisumu and Nandi Counties, Kenya

Abstract

The study examined peace building strategies employed among the border communities of Kisumu and Nandi Counties, Kenya. The nature of peace building was analyzed through investigating the types of the peace building strategies, the types of actors, approaches used and the level of community participation. The study was supported by conflict transformation theory. Descriptive research design was employed. The target population of the study was the people living along the borders of Muhoroni and Tinderet constituencies. The study adopted simple random and purposive sampling to select the participants. The sample size of the study was 320. Data was collected using questionnaires, interview schedule and focus group discussion guide. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS V. 30.1. Qualitative data was analyzed using content and thematic analysis technique. The results were presented in the percentages, frequencies, tables and figures. The findings revealed that the types of peace building strategies used mostly were inter-communal dialogue (31.8%), sports and theatre (19.2%), psycho-social support (16.9%), peace caravans and crusades (13.6%), use of security personnel (10.6%) and socio-economic development projects (7.94%). The study further revealed reactive and non-reactive approaches were employed. The actors mostly involved are state (47%), non-state (32%) and Indigenous groups (21%). Finally, the findings revealed that the local community participates in the peace building process to a high extent. The study concludes that ethnic dialogue, sports and theatre, psychosocial support and counselling, peace caravans and crusades, use of security personnel and socio-economic initiatives are mostly used peace building strategies to enhance cohesion with state actors, non-state actors and the indigenous groups using non-reactive approaches and reactive approaches. These interventions are organized by the actors who always involve the local communities who are the primary beneficiary of the outcome. The study recommends that the cure to the reoccurrence inter-ethnic conflict in the study are is the collaboration between the state actors, non-state actors and the locals communities during the implementation of the initiatives to make the initiatives more effective.