PEACEBUILDING AND CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION EFFORTS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AMONG THE TURKANA AND DASSANNECH COMMUNITIES

Abstract

This study investigated the role of the Roman Catholic Church in peacebuilding between the Turkana community of Kenya and the Dassannech community of Ethiopia. It addressed four research questions: the causes and nature of conflict between the communities, the mechanisms employed to manage and resolve these conflicts, the contributions of the Catholic Church in fostering peace and conflict transformation, and the challenges faced in implementing peacebuilding strategies. Guided by a concurrent mixed-methods design, the study collected and analyzed quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously to provide a comprehensive understanding of the research problem. Protracted Social Conflict (PSC) theory (Azar, 1990) and Liberal Peacebuilding theory (Newman, 2009) framed the analysis, offering insight into the socio-political, economic, and historical dimensions of protracted conflict and strategies for sustainable peace. Data were collected using questionnaires, Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), observation protocols, and document review guides administered to a target population of elders, youth, women, Church leaders, government officials, and NGO representatives, with a target sample of 100 participants selected through purposive and stratified random sampling; 89 participants responded (89% response rate). Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, while qualitative data were coded thematically to identify key patterns. Findings revealed that the Church's mediation, dialogue forums, educational workshops, and social projects were widely recognized as effective in promoting peace. However, resource limitations, cultural misunderstandings, and political interference were identified as hindrances to the sustainability of interventions. The study recommends strengthening mediation and dialogue platforms, mobilizing additional resources, promoting cultural sensitivity, minimizing political interference, and establishing long-term monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to enhance the impact of Church-led peace initiatives. It further recommends future research on the long-term effects of faith-based interventions, the role of other religious organizations in cross-border conflicts, and strategies to increase youth and women's participation in peacebuilding. The findings are significant for policymakers, religious institutions, and community leaders, underscoring the importance of inclusive, culturally informed, and sustained approaches to achieving lasting peace between historically conflicted communities