As the violence raged in Kenya in January 2008, the media came under increasing scrutiny. One of the main accusations was that the media, particularly radio, was responsible for fanning the flames.
When a prominent radio presenter was named along with politicians and civil servants as suspects to face trial at the International Criminal Court, the Kenyan media fraternity was shocked. Comparisons were made with the situation in Rwanda a decade before, where radio played a role in perpetrating genocide.
The cases at the International Criminal Court were eventually terminated but the media had already learnt its lesson, chiefly that in a country that has faced political and ethnic conflict, radio is a powerful tool for promoting peace and fostering understanding and reconciliation.
“Radio and peace” was the theme of this year’s World Radio Day, providing an opportunity to reflect on the role radio has played and can play, in mediating conflict and bringing about peace. The Safaricom Newsroom hosted Christine Nguku and Lincoln Njogu.
Christine is the Assistant Director in charge of Training and Curriculum Development at the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) and a media trainer. Before all this, she founded Mbaitu FM, a community radio station.
Lincoln is the Deputy Managing Editor at Royal Media Services, where he is part of the team overseeing 14 radio stations, 12 of them broadcasting in vernacular.
Christine Nguku tells us how community radio can help in spreading the agenda for peace: “At a national level, when we have incidences of major conflicts, perhaps even political conflict, the station is able to come in and actually discuss issues of how we can agree on maintaining peace, living together as one community of Kenyans.”
At Royal Media Services, says Lincoln, the company has adopted a policy to avoid stoking further conflict when reporting about clashes between different communities. “We have a company policy, for instance, if there are conflicts, let’s say in Nakuru where maybe the Maasai and Kikuyus are fighting each other. We have a policy as a company or as a media house, not to mention those particular tribes by name, say several Maasai have been killed by Kikuyu’s because that definitely will lead to revenge.”
Lincoln and Christine agree that radio has a powerful role to play in promoting peace and unity in the country, and is a catalyst for the evolving media space.
No discussion about media in Kenya today is complete without mention of what the future holds for the media in Kenya, and they also touched on the subject.
Watch the video below or listen to the podcast to hear more from these radio veterans.
