As Part of The Kenya Electoral Conflicts Mitigation and Civic/Voter Education (ECCES) Program as funded by USAID, in conjunction with the Royal Danish Embassy to Kenya support towards peaceful Elections Act! conducted a series of journalists’ training. The key objective of the initiatives is to build the capacity of local structures, networks, and institutions to promote and advocate for peaceful elections. A significant institution that was considered was the Media, with a greater focus on community media.
Journalists are key to funning or ending conflicts based on how they report on issues and incidences. Their ability to investigate, moderate and report on their findings can either support efforts on peace or cause the opposite to happen especially in the current context where information circulates faster and spreads wider (advent of digital and technological advancements).
Through engagement with the Media council of Kenya, Act! was able to train over 150 community based journalists from: Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River, Nairobi, Kajiado, Kiambu, Isiolo, Laikipa, Garissa, Uasin Gishu, Tra-Nzoia, Bungoma, Nandi, Nakuru, West pokot, Kisumu, Migori, Homabay, and Siaya Counties
Among the topics covered were: Reporting: Ethical Challenges for Kenyan journalists, Conflict sensitive Reporting, Gender Sensitive Reporting, Hate speech and conflict mitigation through media, Safety and Staying Safe when Reporting from the Frontline.
