ABSTRACT
Chapter 5, “Re-Situating Vernacular Media: A Tool for Peace Building among the Abakuria in Kenya,” examines the place of indigenous languages in media outlets located in rural areas. Focusing on the Abakuria community, the chapter calls for deeper analyses of the suitability of local languages for broadcasts aimed at resolving inter-ethnic conflicts in rural settings. The chapter critically looks at the use of local languages on media platforms for resolving ethnic conflict. It concludes that even though community-based radio stations broadcasting in such languages appear to be the most reliable sources of news and information among the Abakuria, like in many other parts of Kenya, their potential as tools for intra-ethnic conflict mitigation cannot be taken for granted.
