Communication for Change: Altering Die-hard Attitudes, Beliefs and Behaviour through Knowledge Sharing on Lake Victoria Pollution

Abstract

Thispaperreportsthefindingsofa studythatsetoutto establish theattitudes, knowledge,beliefsandbehaviour oflocalresidentstowardstheenvironmental pollution ofLakeVictoria in Tanzania. The studywas informedby Anderson‘s (1981)InformationIntegrationTheory,whichwasdevelopedtoexplain― how human beings bring togetherdifferentpiecesofinformationalandattitudechangeasaprocess forintegratingnewinformationwitholdinformation. The study employed four methods in the collection of data, which were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively using SPSS and NVIVO computer programmes respectively. Thestudyfoundthatresidents of Mwanza were aware that thelake was polluted mainly bytheir own activities, yettheyholdthegovernment responsibleforitsfailureto control the devastation.Theyalsorecognisethataneffectivecommunicationframeworkamong thestakeholders toavert the devastation doesnotexist. Therefore, thestudyconcludes,there wasaneedtoinitiateastrategicpartnershipbetweenthegovernment andthemass mediatocurbtheincreasingpollutioninLakeVictoria.