Thesis:

The role of community radios on perceptions and attitudes of cattle rustling communities in Turkana County, Kenya

Community Radio, over the years, has established itself as an integral part of the media scape of communities across Kenya. With its proven attachment to local communities, community radios in Turkana County, socially help communities address problems affecting them. However, cattle rustling has predominantly devastated and disrupted normal livelihoods of the pastoral community in Turkana. Traditionally, cattle rustling is a growing phenomenon and was in the recent past perceived as a cultural activity, through which cattle was raided to pay dowry among Turkana communities. However, in the society today, cattle rustling has taken a different dimension altogether! It is characterized by increasing number of complex portable firearms and light weapons in the wrong hands of bandits, which has resulted to wanton and reckless killings, children and women maimed and property destroyed. It was in this regard, the study sought to explore the role played by community radio in changing perceptions of pastoral communities as pertains to cattle rustling in Turkana County, in order to bring to the end, the persistent cattle rustling and banditry once and for all. The study used Ekeyokon and Echami CRs in Turkana, to seek answers to the questions raised to address the cattle rustling problem. The four objectives of the research were, first, to explain the extent to which community radio programmes change perceptions of communities on cattle rustling. Second, to examine the role stakeholders play in providing an enabling environment for community radio stations to change perceptions of cattle rustling communities. Third, to appraise the strategies the stakeholders use to leverage on the community radios and finally, to evaluate the challenges community radio face in changing perceptions of communities on cattle rustling in Turkana. Agenda-setting theory guided the Study. The Study employed a mixed method approach, which utilised descriptive research design. The target population was 400,000 listeners. A sample size of 400 was determined using Lamola and Yamane formula. Purposive sampling was used to identify the pastoralist community. A simple random sampling technique was also used to identify 10 radio editors, programme producers, chair-MCK Turkana, County Director of Peace, and a Peace Partner. On data collection, the study administered structured questionnaire and key informant interview schedule. Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 26 and content analysis were used to analyze data. From the findings, the study concluded that community radio in Turkana was the only powerful game-changer that helped influence pastoralists mindset, and change the social behavior of pastoralists on cattle rustling. The study recommended the county government to intentionally establish Community Media Fund to effectively support community radios to change pastoralists mindset on the barbaric cattle rustling. Additionally, Turkana County Government must support the radios in the design and implementation of social behaviour change programmes to gradually be the paradigm shift on cattle rustling practice. Similarly, County Government must formulate policies and legislations that make radios more effective and efficient. And at the same time, prioritise those legislations that outlaw cattle rustling. The Research applies to academia, national and county governments, non-state actors, policy-makers, community and radio stakeholders.