A Comparative Study On Media Priming And Local Opinion Leaders On Sabaot Land Conflict In Mt. Elgon

Abstract

This study explored how media reported the conflict in Mt. Elgon and whether it represented the beliefs of Mt. Elgon residents. Media and conflict have been linked together and the media’s reporting has an impact on conflict direction. Mt. Elgon conflict was never isolation and the media played its part. However, recent reports have indicated that the militia could be regrouping, a sign that the conflict never ended and might be looming in the near future. The study looked at how the media primed the conflict and whether it played its roles in conflict situation. It further compared media reports and the opinions of the local residents. A content analysis of 130 newspapers was conducted sampled from two major dailies in Kenya: The Standard and the Daily Nation, between 2007 and 2008. Key informant interviews were also done to be able to complement the content analysis and establish what the beliefs and opinions of the local leaders is of this conflict and the media reports. The results show that the media remained objective and not biased in reporting the Mt. Elgon land conflict. The media gave very little prominence to the conflict in Mt. Elgon with scanty reports and poorly positioned accounts of this conflict. The media faced one outstanding challenge of not being able to access the area of conflict and had to rely on a few people on the information on conflict situation as gathered from the interviews. Therefore, the media did not substantively play its roles in agenda setting, watchdog, and informing the public. Local leaders have come out to state that the media’s reporting of this conflict was contrary to what was happening on the ground. They have also said that the media did not give this conflict the necessary attention while appreciating that in deed it was very tough for the media to penetrate the conflict area