Answering tough questions on Kenyan TV; Super park tour

My colleague Gloria Laker and I appeared on “Good Morning Kenya” today on KBS-TV, the state broadcaster. We discussed our current peace journalism project, and the importance of peace journalism in Kenya given the media-induced upheaval that occurred here in late 2007 and early 2008. One tough but fair question: given that American media is so flawed, how can I come here and show Kenyans “the right way” to practice journalism? My response: Yes, American media is flawed, and often does not practice responsible peace journalism. No, I am not personally responsible for American media or its flaws. Yes, peace journalism can teach reporters how to more professionally report conflicts in the U.S., Kenya, Uganda, and everywhere else. No, I am not force feeding “the right way” to anyone, but instead offering journalists who attend my seminars a buffet of information from which they can select useful, applicable tips.

Our second Kenyan peace journalism seminar starts tomorrow.

Later in the day, Gloria (pictured) and I toured the marvelous Nairobi National Park, where we communed with giraffes, crocs, impalas, ostriches, and buffaloes. (Click here for photo album). I found it interesting that the park is literally on the outskirts of Nairobi, and thus is framed by apartment buildings and office complexes. Airplanes frequently soared overhead, illustrating a stark contrast between the ancient and the modern.

Eldoret PJ seminar strikes raw nerve

As this week’s peace and electoral journalism seminar unfolded in Eldoret, Kenya, I had hoped to learn more about what happened here in western Kenya (and in the rest of the country) in 2007.

Editing radio stories on Thursday

About four and a half years ago, a disputed election sparked inter-tribal violence that left over 1,000 dead and forced over 250,000 to flee their homes. Much of that violence was centered in this region.

For those of us who study peace journalism, especially important is the role that radio played here in western Kenya in fueling the post election violence. In 2007, radio stations broadcasting in tribal languages spewed hate speech that, everyone agrees, degraded an already bad situation. In fact, one radio executive from this region is on trial at the International Criminal Court at The Hague. He’s charged with helping to inflame the violence in late 2007 and early 2008.

Group work at Eldoret seminar

In a seminar room filled with journalists, mostly from radio stations, I had hoped for answers as to how this had happened. My hopes were dashed as we began a discussion (really, a monologue) on the 2007 conflagration. Almost no one wanted to speak about the role that media played in fanning the flames. One journalist did explain briefly the participants’ reticence in discussing the issue. Essentially, the event is still too near, the wounds too fresh, the memories too painful to re-live. In fact, the radio executive being tried at Hague formerly managed a radio station that employs one of the participants in this seminar.

Teaching PJ in Eldoret

After some prodding, several journalists did say that they could now fully comprehend the errors that media committed which exacerbated inter-tribal violence in 2007. Now that these 18 journalists know about peace journalism, I believe that they will no longer engage in inflammatory speech, and will report in such a way that encourages peace and reconciliation.

Hilda (R) from US Embassy confers w/journalists

I’m worried, however, that 18 journalists may be too few to make a real difference here in western Kenya. As we wrapped up the U.S. Embassy-Nairobi sponsored seminar today, I shared those concerns, and charged the participants with spreading the gospel of peace journalism to all of their colleagues in the region. I just hope that the efforts of these 18 professionals are enough to prevent a recurrence of violence here after the elections early next year.

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PJ seminar begins; Lake Naivasha delights

Peace Journalism seminar #1 is underway this morning in Western Kenya. We have a great group of 17 engaged journalists. We began our day discussing the fundamentals of PJ, and analyzing articles for PJ content. Looking forward to the next three days.

On the way here, we stopped at beautiful Lake Naivasha park (right), where we took an excellent boat trip and hike. For complete photo album of Lake Naivasha, click here.

PJ-counterterrorism project seeks lasting impact in Uganda

This weeks's training the trainer seminar in Kampala.

The four of us who have conducted the peace media and counterterrorism trainings this last month or so in Uganda have begun ribbing one another about our lessons and presentations, poking fun at my PSA, for example. We’ve had the most fun lampooning a presentation made by John Hamilton wherein he talks about pebbles making tiny ripples in a pond while big rocks make large waves.

In the last day of our last seminar today, Carol Getty, in an act that can best be described as “yanking the chain” of myself and my other Park University colleague Ken Christopher, insisted on giving Hamilton’s pond/rocks lecture. While I was watching, as much as I hate to admit it, I realized that the presentation was prophetic.

Training the trainer, Kampala

As we wrap up our Ugandan courses, I realize that John, Ken, Carol and I have thrown a number of rocks into some Ugandan ponds during the last four weeks.

Some of these rocks have landed in ponds patrolled by Ugandan security forces, the army and police. They came to our seminars with distaste for journalism and individual journalists, and a disdain for the professionalism of reporters. They did not leave our seminars adoring the journalists, but I believe that they did acquire a better understanding about the needs of journalists and the business of the profession. I am hopeful that security forces left our workshops with a bit more respect for journalists.

We tossed other rocks in ponds overseen by local government officials, called LC’s here (Local Councils). They came to our seminars with the same negative attitudes about journalists. Like their security brethren, I believe they left with a greater understanding of journalism and of the need to cooperate with journalists to disseminate anti-terrorism messages.

Training the trainer, Kampala

As for the journalists, they came in with low opinions of both security and government. I’m hopeful they left with a better appreciate the awesome responsibility security and government officials have in keeping the public safe. And I believe the reporters, and the journalism trainers who we taught the last three days (training the trainer), have a better understanding now of their role in working with public officials to keep Uganda safe.

What we don’t know yet is how far our ripples will travel. Our project coordinator Gloria Laker of the Peace Journalism Foundation will be conducting a comprehensive survey in a few months to collect data about the impact of our U.S. State Department-sponsored project. But as I’ve implied, based on the positive, even enthusiastic response from the 110 or so seminar attendees we’ve trained in the last month, I will be surprised if our work here doesn’t have a deep, lasting impact.

On a Personal Note...

I’ve taught 50 or so seminars now in Uganda, but these last six with my colleagues Ken Christopher, Carol Getty, and John Hamilton have been, by far, the best—the best instruction, the best feedback from students, the best discourse, the best everything. I screw up fairly frequently, so I will pat myself on the back for selecting these three outstanding Park University professors for my Uganda team. They were terrific instructors and companions. Thank you, Ken, Carol, and John.

BTW, colleagues, I am already planning our next collaboration.

(Photo: Ken Christopher, front; Carol Getty and John Hamilton, behind; yours truly, back left. Photo stolen from Ken Christopher's blog).

Diverse group leads to lively discourse


Participants plan, discuss

 This week’s first peace media and counterterrorism seminar in Kampala has brought together an eclectic mix of Ugandans, including journalists and those who work at facilities that might be at-risk for terrorist attacks. These facilities include schools, tourist and wildlife centers, and bar/restaurants. One of the participants represented a bar/club that was bombed by al Shabab extremists in July, 2010.



This was, by any measure, an engaged, energetic group, especially when they formed into teams. In these teams, the participants created a blueprint for a community security committee and produced anti-terrorism public service announcements (click here to listen). Their PSA’s were engaging, smart, and delivered important vigilance messages to the public.

Dr. Ken Christopher--"Get outta here"


Our at-risk facilities seminar was adeptly led by Park University Criminal Justice Professor Dr. Ken Christopher, who was assisted by Park Professor Emeritus Dr. Carol Getty.



Gloria Laker (white shirt) leads production



Like our other US Embassy-Kampala sponsored seminars, it is our hope that this group will continue to collaborate and cooperate in the future on anti-terror messaging.

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