Church Strategies in Conflict Management Among Communities Bordering the Borabu-Sotik Border in Kenya

Abstract

Cross-border conflicts remain a persistent global challenge, with recent ethnic and communal tensions significantly affecting African regions such as Kenya. Despite initiatives by governments and NGOs to promote peace and implement preventive measures, conflicts persist, particularly along the Borabu-Sotik border, where disputes between local communities have escalated. This research adopts a qualitative approach and descriptive statistics, concentrating on churches in the Borabu-Sotik border area, including SDA, PAG, and Catholic congregations, with a target population of 7,738 participants.This study explores the potential of church strategies in managing conflicts, emphasising how local community efforts can foster regional peace and stability. It highlights the limitations of existing conflict management strategies and examines the possibility of communal actions playing a more significant role in resolving these disputes. The primary objective of the research is to evaluate the effectiveness of communal initiatives in conflict management among the communities residing along the Borabu-Sotik border.The research utilised purposive and simple random sampling techniques to determine a sample size of 392 participants, which included 35 church leaders and 357 church members. Proportionate sampling methods were applied to classify the sample based on church affiliations. Stratified random sampling was employed to choose the respondents, who were then provided with questionnaires. Data collection instruments consisted of interview schedules for church leaders, questionnaires for church members, focus group discussions, and a checklist. Descriptive statistics, including percentages, means, and standard deviations, were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).