Contribution of Faith-Based Mediation Strategies to Conflict Transformation along the Bomet-Nyamira Counties Border, Kenya

Abstract

Conflicts are a global phenomenon whose manifestation includes violence, deaths, and displacements. The Bomet-Nyamira counties border in Kenya has witnessed protracted ethnic, political, and cultural conflicts that have led to deaths, displacements, and loss of property. Whereas their transformation at interstate level has attracted international and state actors, the role of faith-based organizations tends to be peripheralized unless they emerge as complementary actors. Faith-based actors generally feature less in national and international efforts to transform inter and intrastate conflicts. Their contribution has, however, elicited less scholarly attention to the extent that policy interventions are less comprehensive and exclusive. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of faith-based mediation strategies to conflict transformation along the Bomet-Nyamira counties border zone. The objectives of this study included assessing the contribution of the faith-based communication-facilitation mediation strategy, analyzing the contribution of the faith-based directive-manipulation mediation strategy, and examining the contribution of the faith-based religious activities mediation strategy to conflict transformation along the Bomet-Nyamira counties border, Kenya. It focused on three strategies: communication-facilitation, directive-manipulation, and religious activities, which were integral to faith-based conflict transformation programs. This study was guided by the theory of transformative mediation. The target population of the study comprised 140 respondents. The target of sample population consisted of 87 household respondents for questionnaires, 29 respondents for in-depth interviews, included village elders, assistant chiefs, and chiefs, 18 respondents for key informant interviews, which included religious leaders, and 6 group discussions from the Kipsigis and Abagusii communities along the Bomet-Nyamira counties border, Kenya. A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing specific descriptive survey methods along the Bomet-Nyamira counties border zone, Kenya. The research was conducted at four sites in the Ekerubo and Raitigo locations of Nyamira County and the Gelegele location of Bomet County. Questionnaires were administered to the identified household respondents along the Gelegele, Ekerubo and Raitigo locations border. Structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions were utilized to gather information from the respondents. Thematic, content, and narrative analysis techniques guided data analysis. The findings indicated that in the assessment of communication-facilitation mediation strategy, dialogue, compromise, negotiation, and empowerment were key in transforming conflicts along the border. In analyzing the directive-manipulation mediation strategy, incentives, bargaining, pressure, and attitude played a crucial role in conflict transformation. And in the examination of the religious activities mediation strategy, media, teachings, meetings, and motivation were significant to conflict transformation along the border. From the conclusion it was observed that the three faith-based mediation strategies had a substantial positive impact on conflict transformation along the Bomet-Nyamira border. In their significant contribution they built mutual trust and promoted peaceful co-existence along the border. However, to enhance the effectiveness of these mediation strategies faith-based organizations should continue facilitating peaceful sessions along the border. Additional frameworks should be set on continuous training in peace. Through this transformative theory in the study, it had fostered an effective avenue for conflict transformation. Further this study will be of great scholarly contribution in research that will improve conflict transformation beyond the Bomet-Nyamira borders.