Wachira, Anthony Taiti2024-11-252024-11-252023Wachira, A. T., (2023). Use of Strategic Communication to Curb Proliferation of Small Arms And Light Weapons Among Kenya’s Pastoralist Communities: A Study On Regional Centre On Small Arms’ (RECSA) Communication Activities in East Pokot. Daystar University, School of Communicationhttps://repository.daystar.ac.ke/handle/123456789/5667MASTER OF ARTS in CommunicationThis study set out to establish the role of strategic communication in curbing proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) among the Pokot people from East Pokot. The study aimed at identifying factors that cause proliferation of SALW, and find out how strategic communication can be applied to curb the problem. The study adopted descriptive research design and the target population were drawn from the East Pokot region and Regional Center on Small Arms (RECSA) through purposive sampling technique. Interviews were carried out on nine Pokot elders and the Executive Secretary of RECSA, while focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted on sixty three Pokot Morans. Questionnaires were administered to five employees at RECSA. Data was analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. The study established that proliferation of SALW in the East Pokot region is caused by a number of factors such as insecurity which causes people to arm themselves for protection, and overdependence on cattle which leads to frequent armed cattle rustling. According to the research findings, RECSA plays an important role in curbing the proliferation of SALW by lobbying and sensitizing the government on the need to empower institutions that help in curbing the problem such as the Kenya National Focal Point on illicit SALW. However, the study found out that more efforts are required from RECSA in order to help curb proliferation of SALW. Such efforts include deploying of personnel in affected areas such as East Pokot in order to deal with the proliferation issue on the ground. The study recommends that community engagement should be adopted as a key area in strategic communication in the fight against proliferation of SALW.enstrategic communicationsmall arms and light weaponsThesis