Promoting Peace on the Radio
Programming will include marginalized groups in discussions on important issues.
Kericho, in the heart of Kenya's South Rift region, can be an amicable place. However, the area is home to many ethnic groups—including Kalenjins, Kikuyus, Kisii, and Luos—and has a history of ethnic strife. The region erupted in violence after the country's 2007 elections.
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| New equipment is allowing Radio Injili broadcasters to better serve listeners in the Kericho region.
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Three and a half years later, politicians are again jockeying for position ahead of the 2012 ballot, and the potential for violence in the region remains. Alliances are shifting and candidates are not above stoking tensions arising from the ongoing International Criminal Court process to gain an advantage.
To counter negative messages and foster peace and stability, USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) partnered with Radio Injili to enhance its capacity to broadcast accurate and balanced information.
Radio Injili is a respected local FM radio station based in Kericho with an audience that stretches across the southern Rift Valley. The station was instrumental in broadcasting messages of peace during and after the post-electoral violence that beset the country in 2007-08.
USAID/OTI provided Radio Injili with modern equipment, including new microphones, headphones, amplifiers, a telephone interface, portable field recorders, computers, and a studio console. The new equipment has improved the station's ability to cover local events, enhancing its relevance in the region. Furthermore, the station's radio presenters can now conduct more effective call-in programs.
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"The modern phone equipment, provided to us by USAID, has streamlined caller interaction, thus enhancing our interactive programs through call-in sessions."
—John Bett of Radio Injili
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Radio Injili is developing programming that not only addresses key reform issues facing Kenya but also gives the voices of women and young people greater prominence. The programming will be aired at peak times—when the target audience is known to be listening.
The station's improved ability to broadcast balanced information will elevate the level of discourse on important and sensitive issues facing Kenyans. And by supporting a trusted source that provides listeners with accurate and balanced coverage, USAID/OTI is helping to foster stability in the region as the 2012 elections approach.
For further information, please contact:
Megan German, Program Manager - Kenya, 202-712-1997, mgerman@usaid.gov.
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