Banditry in Kerio Valley, Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya: Blessings in Disguise, Masked Media Coverage, and State Securitization

Abstract

In the Kenyan environment, banditry is prevalent among the pastoral communities, impacting on peace and security sustainability. Conflict-displaced victims are associated with positive effects of the conflicts. The focus of this research was on un-intended effects of Kerio Valley conflicts in Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya, an ecosystem where mainstream media failed to highlight social impacts of banditry in the facade of consistent securitization by government. The study was grounded on the role of realist theory of forced migration. The study identified two active frames in Kerio Valley conflict: the expansionist narrative and the traditional livestock balancing cultural activity. The study participants involved 43 respondents stratified selected from the locals, elders, women, and the youth and 17 conflict-displaced victims identified using snowball technique. Expert opinions from 11 Key informants purposively selected from religious organizations, CBOs, NGOs, media sector, and national provincial administration conversant with conflict management, took part in the study. Data collection used questionnaire, key informant interviews and field observations. A descriptive research design was used to determine what blessings in disguise were evident, how media was masked and how the conflict had been framed to create securitization effect. The study findings reveal that the expansionist narrative is linked with masked media theory and blessings in disguise outcome. Therefore, this article is designed to address blessings in disguise, masked media and the securitization processes in Kerio Valley. Respondents at 100% said that conflict-displaced victims settled and lived a rosy life, engaging in various civic activities as they integrated and fully assume new roles in society without media and government attention to their plight. The study concluded that banditry in Kerio Valley, despite causing reverse development, opened new fronts to refocus on peacebuilding programmes. The Study recommended that government should protect and preserve human rights principles of conflict-displaced victims through peacebuilding to identify and recognize resilient efforts to support.