| dc.description.abstract | Global experience with sustainable peacebuilding has been diverse since the term was formally introduced to the world by the United Nations in 1992. Since then, peacebuilding has been implemented in the absence of a universally accepted approach or clear criteria for success. Multiple actors have conceptualised and implemented peacebuilding to correspond with their contexts and needs. The 2008 Kenya Government directive that each County should have a peacebuilding entity brought into the limelight the work of the Peacebuilding Committees in Kenya. However, the ability of these Sub-county Peacebuilding Committees to foster sustainable peacebuilding has not been exhaustively interrogated. The overall objective of this study was to investigate the dynamics that motivate the implementation of sustainable peacebuilding in Mombasa County. The specific objectives were; 1) examine the influence of the policy framework of the formal peacebuilding infrastructure in fostering sustainable peacebuilding; 2) evaluate the strategies applied by the Sub-county peacebuilding committees in advancing sustainable peacebuilding; and 3) assess the operational challenges and opportunities for sustainable peacebuilding in Mombasa County. The conceptual framework was based on Galtung’s Theory of Peacebuilding, Galtung’s Theory of Structural Violence, Lederach’s Conflict Transformation Theory and the Conceptual Framework of the Infrastructure for Peace (I4P). The study population was the Sub-County Peacebuilding Committees, Government officials in Mombasa and the NSC in Nairobi, the Youth, villagers, NGOs and CBOs. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design and applied both convenience and purposive sampling techniques. A sample size of was 392 selected as follows;113 Committee members, 11 County and National administrators, 185 youth, 7 reformed youth, 72 community members and 4 NGO representatives, who were all affiliated to the peacebuilding committees. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires, key informant interview (KII) and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) guides as well as observation checklists. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used for data analysis. Findings revealed that Sub-County Peacebuilding Committees enjoyed policy support through County administrative structures, however, their potential for fostering sustainable peacebuilding was hamstrung by lack of financing, a poorly informed public and poor coordination of peacebuilding activities in the County. The study found out that the lack of basic peacebuilding knowledge and overreliance on County administration officials and NGOs to convene peacebuilding activities curtailed the leadership role of the Sub-County Peacebuilding Committees. Youth were found to be an important factor in the County peacebuilding agenda, however, there was no policy or programmatic strategy for their involvement. The study established that sustainable peacebuilding opportunities exist through the peacebuilding partners already working in the County, and through the Terms of Reference of the Sub-County Peacebuilding Committees issued by the Government of Kenya, through the National Steering Committee on Peacebuilding and Conflict Management (NSC). The study concludes that Sub-County Peacebuilding Committees experience weakened agency because of the National Government’s policy of not resourcing them. The overall conclusion is that Sub-County Peacebuilding Committees potential for fostering sustainable peacebuilding is compromised under the current policy framework, which has also compounded the operational challenges for the Sub-County Peacebuilding Committees. The study recommends a review of the operational and resourcing policy for the Sub-County Peacebuilding Committees and an elaboration of a youth engagement strategy in the County peacebuilding agenda. Further, research in the area of comparative studies of the different approaches to peacebuilding is recommended in order to find out the best approaches for sustainable peacebuilding for Mombasa County, and by extension, Kenya. | en_US |
