Communication Conflict Management Strategy Preferences among Burundi Political Leaders

Abstract

Burundi has experienced many conflicts since independence, causing a lot of losses. Since conflicts are inevitable, knowing how to manage them is the mos important thing. Communication is the key to successful conflict managemen This study sought to find out the communication conflict management strateg preferences among Burundi political leaders. To achieve this goal, the researcher aimed at identifying the communication strategies that were used to manage Burundi's past conflicts, ascertaining preferred communication strategies in conflict management among Burund leaders, finding out factors that influence conflict management strateg preferences, and establishing indicators for a successfully managed conflict. The study used quantitative and qualitative approaches, where 76 self administered questionnaires were distributed to purposively selecte political leaders. The researcher also conducted four interviews with four leaders from four political parties out of the five represented i parliament. The quantitative data from questionnaires were coded, keyec in and analysed using the Statistical Packaging for Social Sciences program to have the frequencies, percentages and the physical representation for the different answers. The key findings of this study showed that in the actual practice of conflic management in the past and the present, the compromising, dominating an avoiding strategies were the most preferred in that order. But coming to th simple perception at the personal level, Burundi political leaders prefe collaboration as a communication conflict strategy. The researcher also foun out that Biblical strategies were not preferred by Burundi political leaders. Or of the recommendations is to set a permanent unit within each party for trainin in proactive communication conflict management.