1.

The Disaster management cycle illustrates the ongoing process by which governments,
businesses, and civil society plan for and reduce the impact of disasters, react during and
immediately following a disaster, and take steps to recover after a disaster has occurred.
Discuss.

The disaster life cycle includes several phases:

a) Mitigation: Disaster mitigation work involves directly preventing future emergencies and/or
minimizing their negative effects. It requires hazard risk analysis and the application of strategies to
reduce the likelihood that hazards will become disasters, such as flood-proofing homes or buying
insurance. For example, the government in conjunction with the weather department, may produce
maps of Wards/Village Tracts showing areas most vulnerable to storms, floods and other natural
disasters.

b) Disaster preparedness: Disaster preparedness efforts include plans or preparations made in advance
of an emergency that help individuals and communities get ready. Such preparations might include the
stocking of food and water or the gathering and screening of willing volunteers, ready to mobilize post-
disaster. Here the government and other organizations can formulate and distribute disaster
preparedness plans, and conduct drills in all areas or for example, make a list of vehicles and motor
boats that can be used for emergency work especially in hospitals with the ambulances. An organization
can compile a list of departments, NGOs, and members of Peoples Strength that will take part in relief
operations and designate representatives for contact and also coordinate with departments concerned
to form Auxiliary Fire Brigades and Red Cross Societies, and to provide organizing and training activities
like ,First aid, equipment, transportation, clearing the Debris. This information can also be imparted on
school children during camping for the scouts clubs.

It is the work of the government, in partnership with the various ministries to alert the community in
areas the natural disaster is likely to strike for example when the ministry of health alerted Kenyans on
the covid 19 virus and urged that all schools should be closed and brought about lockdowns in counties.

It also safeguards the road and water transport routes, keep relief and medical teams at the ready and
arrange transport to affected areas at short notice. The government is responsible for the evacuation of
a community from vulnerable areas to safe locations or designated shelters as quickly as possible for
example the County Governor of Kiambu was seen helping those who suffered from collapsed buildings.

An organization can decide to put Early Warning Systems set of capacities needed to generate and
disseminate timely and meaningful warning information to enable individuals, communities and
organizations threatened by a hazard to prepare and to act appropriately and in sufficient time to
reduce the possibility of harm or loss. For example banks have an alarm system at the door incase of
bulgers or terrorists. The same applies to hospitals and universities.

c) Disaster response: Disaster response work includes any actions taken during or immediately following
an emergency, including efforts to save lives and to prevent further property damage. Ideally, disaster
response involves putting already established disaster preparedness plans into motion. Typically, this
phase of the disaster life cycle draws the most attention. It is also known as disaster relief.

Here organizations obtain beforehand the required relief and aid supplies, create shelters and safe
locations for use during disasters depending on local conditions.

During a Flood people involved could listen to the radio or television for information. being aware that
flash flooding can occur. If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground.
Do not wait for instructions to move. Be aware of streams, drainage channels, canyons, and other areas
known to flood suddenly. Flash floods can occur in these areas with or without such typical warnings as
rain clouds or heavy rain. If you must prepare to evacuate, you should do the following:

Secure your home. If you have time, bring in outdoor furniture. Move essential items to an upper floor.

Turn off utilities at the main switches or valves if instructed to do so. Disconnect electrical appliances.
Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water. If you have to leave your home,
remember these evacuation tips:

Do not walk through moving water. Six inches of moving water can make you fall. If you have to walk in
water, walk where the water is not moving. Use a stick to check the firmness of the ground in front of
you.

Do not drive into flooded areas. If flood-waters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to
higher ground if you can do so safely.

For example the County Government of Narok has advised its residents on all these because it
experiences flash floods in Narok town. Maasai Mara University also informs the first years on this and
the gate D river which has taken a couple of students lives over the years.

4. Disaster recovery: Disaster recovery happens after damages have been assessed and involves actions
to return the affected community to its pre-disaster state or better and ideally, to make it less
vulnerable to future risk. Risk identification includes understanding the nature of hazards as well as
understanding the nature of vulnerabilities. Subsequent efforts may range from physical upgrades to
education, training and public awareness campaigns. Several institutions coordinate with departments
concerned to form Auxiliary Fire Brigades and Red Cross Societies, and to provide organizing and training
activities and rehabilitation

After a Flood the government urges people to listen for news reports to learn whether the community’s
water supply is safe to drink. They advice them to avoid floodwaters, water may be contaminated by oil,
gasoline, or raw sewage. Water may also be electrically charged from underground or downed power
lines, to avoid moving water, be aware of areas where floodwaters have receded. Roads may have
weakened and could collapse under the weight of a car, to stay away from downed power lines, and
report them to the power authorities and to return home only when authorities indicate it is safe while
staying out of any building if it is surrounded by floodwaters.
People are also advised to use extreme caution when entering buildings; there may be hidden damage,
particularly in foundations ,service damaged septic tanks, cesspools, pits, and leaching systems as soon
as possible. Damaged sewage systems are serious health hazards. Clean and disinfect everything that
got wet. Mud left from floodwater can contain sewage and chemicals.

2. In what way can media be used as a tool in disaster management and mitigation in Kenya today.

a) Increased lobbying: The media can increase lobbying for political commitment, to make
national leaders more responsive to the unique needs of vulnerable communities and special
populations (such as the elderly and disabled) by increasing visibility of related issues through
consistent reporting. By applying pressure on public officials, the media can help effect positive
change when for unique areas that would otherwise have been ignored.

b) Aid prioritization of Disaster Risk Issues: The media can influence the government to prioritize
disaster risk issues, thereby ensuring that self serving political interests are not emphasized at
the expense of the wider population. For example, the media may expose excessive and
inefficient expenditure to relocate persons from vulnerable areas just before a general election
with a view to secure votes, while little or no attention is given to replenishing the stock of relief
supplies in the national warehouse for distribution in the event of a disaster. This kind of
exposure facilitates more prudent and balanced prioritization of disaster risk issues.

c) Facilitate creation of Early Warning Systems: The media can help disaster mitigation experts
create Early Warning Systems by providing information on risks and existing technologies that
can aid the development of useful concepts and systems.

d) Increase international donations: The media can trigger donations from the international
community subsequent to the occurrence of national disasters, as well as push the government
to increase budgetary allocations for disaster response programmes.

e) Improve coordination of risk assessment activities: The media can improve the coordination of
risk-assessment activities between policymakers and donor communities. This integration of
effort should result in increased availability of resources and improved work programmes
geared towards saving lives of affected populations and vulnerable communities.

3. According to human needs theory, all human beings have basic needs which they seek to fulfill,
and that the denial and frustration of these needs by other groups or individuals could affect
them immediately or later, thereby leading to conflict. Discuss.

Basic human needs in this sense comprise physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs. In
essence, to provide access to one (e.g. food) and deny or hinder access to another (e.g. freedom of
 worship) will amount denial and could make people to resort to violence in an effort to protect
these needs.

Needs theorists over time have identified some of these needs, the deprivation of which cause conflict.
Maslow made an attempt to categorize and prioritize human needs. According to him, needs differ
primarily on the basis of relative strength and the stronger needs such as hunger and thirst must be
satisfied before one can move on to higher needs such as safety, belonging and self-actualization. If the
lower needs are not fully satisfied, they must be at least partially satisfied before higher needs. Maslow
noted that we are constantly striving to satisfy our basic needs. When one set of needs is satisfied, we
turn our attention to the next set of needs. Maslow developed a hierarchy of human needs with basic
physiological needs at the bottom and self-actualization at the top as shown below:

a) 10% Self-actualization (Fulfillment/Creativity/Assertiveness)

b) 40% Esteem Needs (Recognition)

c) 50% Belonging Needs (Affection/Emotional contact)

d) 70% Safety Needs (Security)

e) 85% Physiological Needs (Subsistence/Basic needs)

It should be noted that without satisfying initial or lower needs, one may not proceed to pursue the
higher level needs.The desire among all human beings to climb up the ladder so as to compete for
scarce positions or needs brings about conflict.

According to Burton (1979:72), human needs for survival, protection, affection, understanding,
participation, creativity, and identity are shared by all people, are irrepressible. No matter how much a
political or social system tries to frustrate or suppress these needs, it will either fail or cause far more
damage on the long-run. Max-Neef (1991) believes that the tension between deprivation and potential
are main issues addressed by the human needs theory because when important needs are not
sufficiently satisfied, economic and political problems will continue to grow. The absence of economic
opportunities and hyper-inflation are manifestations of economic imbalance; while political imbalance
leads to fear, xenophobia (intense fear or dislike of foreign people, their customs and culture), crime
and violence, forced migration, voluntary or forced exile and political marginalization. All these
constitute the root causes of bitter conflicts. Even though needs theory scholars identify a wide range of
human needs, some of which they consider to be basic human needs, they are in agreement that the
frustration of these needs hampers the actualization of the potentials of groups and individual,
subsequently leading to conflict. Secondly, there is nearly consensus among them that to resolve a
conflict situation, or even prevent it from occurring, the needs have to be met with appropriate
satisfiers, those things that were denied them in the first instance.
 4. Describe the role of International Organizations and other Stakeholders in Conflict Prevention in
the world today.

The international collectivity is best seen under different aspects of conflict resolution and management.
The European Union (EU) and the council of Europe are deeply involved in policies which impact on
conflict prevention, even if they are not specifically designed for the purpose. The EU has undertaken
deep measures though, first, support for economic infrastructure and economic, measures to
strengthen democracy and the rule of law; and second, its structured Europe, Partnership and
Cooperation Agreements and the Stability Pact. It is also involved, with mixed results, in light conflict
prevention through the Common Foreign and Security Foreign (CFSP), the International Conference on
the former Yugoslavia, economic sanctions, policy on recognition, and its diplomatic presence in Africa,
the Mediterranean littoral and the Middle East (Rummell, 1996).

The UN and several of the major regional organizations are also committed to conflict prevention
(Brauwens and Reychler, 1994; Siccama, 1996). The UN Secretary-General has powers under Article 99
to bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the
maintenance of international peace and security. The Secretary-General frequently operates through
Special Representativeness (SRSG); one notable example has been Ahmedou Ould Abdullahs work in
Burundi, which facilitated power-sharing arrangements and helped to calm the situation after the death
of the Hutu president, Ntarymira, in an air crash in 1994 (Creative Associates 1997, 3-15).

Although some steps to establish a capacity for prevention have been taken, the attention of the
Secretary-General and the Security Council is mainly focused on conflicts that are already violent
(Parsons, 1995), and the UN systems capacity is still regarded as weak for example, only forty officials in
the UN secretariat were involved with prevention in 1995 (Peck, 1993; Findlay, 1996). The UN lacks
sufficient institutional machinery and personnel to turn its rhetoric commitment to preventive
diplomacy into an effective reality (Evans 1993; Rupesinghe 1996b). Moreover, a significant number of
states hold serious reservations about an international prevention regime, on the grounds of state
sovereignty and non-intervention. International financial institutions such as the International Monetary
Fund and the World Bank are now playing an increasingly central role in deep prevention by linking
financial assistance to to conditionalities of good governance.

Several regional organizations have committed themselves to prevention in principle, although in each
case local regional politics and political culture have influenced how the concept is interpreted. The OAU
introduced the African Mechanism Apparatus for Preventive, Managing and Resolving African Crises at
its 1993 summit; the procedure allows the OAU Secetary-General to undertake mediation and fact-
finding missions and to send special envoys. It was activated in the same year in Brazzaville-Congo,
where an ethnically based post-conflict had broken out, already with some violence. Secretary-General
Salim appointed Mahmoud Sahnoun as Special Representative to mediate between the parties, with the
agreement of the Congo government.

5. Discuss how peace-keeping missions like AMISOM have promoted peace-building in developing
countries today.

Peace-keeping is a United Nations presence in the field (normally involving military and civilian
personnel), with the consent of the conflicting parties, to implement or monitor the implementation or
arrangements relating to the control of conflicts and their resolution (partial, or comprehensive
settlements) or to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian relief.

With the example of The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) it was a child of necessity, birthed
in the context of an exacerbated Somali conflict and the emergence of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in
2006 as the dominant force in the fight for the control of Mogadishu. Thus, the Inter-Governmental
Authority on Development (IGAD) Peace Support Mission in Somalia (IGASOM), originally conceived as a
protection and training Mission by both IGAD and the AU to be deployed to Somalia in 2006, gave way
to AMISOM, via the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) Communique, of 19 January 2007. To
underscore the oneness of purpose between the AU and the United Nations (UN) on the matter, the UN
Security Council (UNSC), through Resolution 1744 of 2007 endorsed the PSC decision and authorised the
deployment of the Mission in Somalia.

 AMIS provide support to the TFIs in their efforts towards the stabilisation of the situation in the
country and the furtheranceof dialogue and reconciliation,

 Facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance,

 Create conducive conditions for long-term stabilisation, reconstruction and development in

Somalia’

The UNSC mirrored the mandate of the AU through its Resolution 1744 of February 2007.

Although the mandates of AMISOM have evolved over the years, the obligations to protect Federal
institutions and help them carry out their functions of Government, support dialogue and reconciliation,
protect civilians, critical infrastructure and sensitive sites, facilitate the provision of humanitarian
supplies and support stabilisation activities, have remained recurrent themes of the AMISOM mandate.

 AMISOM was vital in protecting the transitional Government and the ensuing Somali Federal
Governments;

 AMISOM has degraded Al Shabab and pushed the bulk of its forces from Mogadishu and from all
other liberated areas across the sectors;

 AMISOM helped expand humanitarian access and provided various forms of relief to a
significant number of Somalis;
  Side by side with the Somali Security forces, AMISOM still provides the security foundation on
which all other international actors depend in order to operate in Somalia in relative safety.

On the eve of AMISOM deployment to Somalia in 2007, south central Somalia was in the throes of
various entities and warlords laying claim to different parts of the country. Repeated outbreaks of
conflicts in Mogadishu resulted in the death of many civilians and displacement of others. Indeed, most
of the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFI), including the Transitional Federal Parliament, were based
outside Mogadishu, in Baidoa town, 80 km to the west. For these reasons, therefore, some of the most
visible, stabilising, and far-reaching achievements of AMISOM have been the recapture of various
swathes of territory hitherto under the control of Al-Shabaab (AS) and various other Armed Opposition
Groups (AOGs) and the expansion of territorial space in which the Government and its institutions could
project their authority, continue dialogue and reconciliation efforts and carry out their functions of
government.

After the initial standoff between AMISOM and the AOGs in 2007-2010 (due, largely, to issues
surrounding predictable logistical support to the Mission and the limited number of AMISOM troops),
from 2010, AMISOM began the process of capturing cities and towns then under the control of AS. The
following major offensive operations were undertaken: Panua Eneo (2011); Free Shabelle, Eagles (March
2014), Indian Ocean (November 2014), Ocean Build (Nov 2014-July 2015), Juba Corridor (July 2015),
Badbaado 1a and 1b (2018-2019). These operations led to the recovery of vast majority of towns and
cities in Somalia, allowing governance, economic, social, and political activities to thrive in the country.

AMISOM also made significant contributions to the capacitation of the Somali Police Force (SPF) through
institutional and individual capacity building of the SPF by way of training, mentoring, advising, and
initiating Quick Impact Projects (QIPs). The SPF has benefitted and continue to benefit from operational
support from the component via joint patrols and securing various elections. AMISOM efforts in this
regard has led to an improved law and order situation and enhancement of collaboration between the
Police and Somali communities.

Whilst the recovery of the towns and cities listed above grabbed headlines, they were indeed means to
loftier ends. The desired end state of the AU in Somalia has always been to help bring peace and stability
to the country, promote dialogue, reconciliation and inclusivity and consolidate progress towards
achieving a secure, united, peaceful, democratic and developed country, with empowered and
accountable Somali Security Forces (SSF) capable of taking full responsibility for national security and
the protection of the country and its citizens. To this extent, therefore, what happened after recoveries
is arguably more critical than the recoveries themselves. AMISOM has played important roles in various
political, reconciliation and state building processes, culminating in the creation of additional Federal
Member States (FMS) in Galmudug, Hirshabelle, South-West and Jubaland together with the
establishment of Banadir Regional Administration in the Mogadishu municipality. AMISOM has
supported relevant line ministries through a good number of institutional capacity building activities,
Quick Impact Projects, gender mainstreaming, protection issues and guidance on International
Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law. AMISOM activities in this regard have further
consolidated Somalia’s drive towards state building and federalism and the bringing of dividends of
democracy closer to the people at the grassroots levels.

INSTITUTION; MAASAI MARA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL; SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT; MEDIA FILM AND COMMUNICATION

PROGRAM; JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATION

COURSE NAME; DISASTER AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

COURSE CODE; SAS 4210

TASK ; GROUP WORK CAT

DATE OF SUBMISSION; 17TH February 2023

NAME ADM NO SIGNATURE

KINYANJUI SHARON WANGARI AB13/SR/MN/9199/2019

OPAR PHOEBE NASIRUMBI AB13/SR/MN/6897/2018

NDUNGE RUTH MWENDE AB13/SR/MN/9224/2019

JUNIOR MUTISYA NZIOKI AB13/SR/MN/9223/2019

NJERI BRIAN KARIUKI AB13/SR/MN/9239/2019

JEMTAI PURITY AB13/SR/MN/9235/2019