Press Release

In Kenya’s Fragile Peace, Conflict-Sensitive Reporting Seen As Vital

Dolphine Emali/Internews Journalist Tole Nyatta (r) interviews a young man during the post-election violence.

(July 7, 2009) A year and a half after the post-election violence that rocked Kenya, many of the underlying issues remain unresolved, and thousands of people remain displaced from their homes. Kenya’s media must prepare for the possibility that a new cycle of violence could erupt, requiring great skill and sensitivity in covering events without inflaming the conflict. These were the conclusions of a May 20 emergency roundtable that Internews’ Nairobi office organized for Kenyan journalists, media advisors and political analysts.

 “Participants were keenly aware that some Kenyan media played a role in fomenting the violence of 2008, and they were determined to make sure that this does not happen again,” said Ida Jooste, Country Director of Internews Kenya.

By late April 2009 it was becoming clear to many observers that significant cracks were appearing in Kenya’s coalition government. The “power-sharing” president and prime minister were at odds with each other in the national media, and two senior members of the cabinet resigned. The actions of a powerful few were putting the majority of Kenyan citizens at risk of renewed political unrest. The government that was supposed to repair the damage caused by the 2008 violence appeared near collapse.

For ordinary Kenyans, the issues that sparked the violence and the situation of the hundreds of thousands of displaced people were still to be resolved. High-end politicking dominated the news agenda, leaving many communities overlooked or completely ignored.

Internews quickly organized the roundtable – “Getting Behind the Headlines” – to bring together senior news and program staff from partner radio stations in conflict-affected areas, and representatives of other significant print and TV outlets. Experienced Kenyan journalists, media advisors and political analysts brought their expertise to the table to deepen perspectives on the political events.

Participants had a chance to discuss and analyze the issues that lay behind the headlines. The exercise brought them face to face with the fact that Kenya’s media must be prepared to cover the possible unfolding of a new cycle of violence in their country.

The roundtable was part of Internews’ Reporting for Peace project in Kenya, which trains and supports community radio stations in areas affected by political violence.  Journalists are trained in “conflict sensitive” modes of reporting – careful and ethical journalism that does not inflame the conflict, gives audiences an understanding of its root causes and brings the voices of ordinary people to the community airwaves.

Internews’ Reporting for Peace project is funded by USAID Conflict Management and Mitigation.

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