In the Kenya Elections

PENPLUSBYTES

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ICT JOURNALISM

SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE 2013 KENYA GENERAL ELECTIONS

Penplusbytes - 2015

No.1 Ostwe Close,

Klannaa St.

Accra.

Editorial Team

Kwami Ahiabenu II

Francisca K. Dafour

Jerry Sam

Yaw Frempong Ampomah

Maxwell Gyamfi

Gina A. Amedeka

For more information about Penplusbytses please visit www.penplusbytes.org www.Facebook.com/penplusbytes Email: [email protected]

Abstract

Social Media is almost as powerful as the traditional media such as radio, television and print media in terms of reaching a larger audience. Social Media, from the least common ones like flickr, digg, upcoming, Technorati, MySpace, to the most popular ones like Youtube, Facebook and Twitter were actively used during Kenya’s 2013 elections by various candidates in the bid to relay campaign messages and rally supporters. This could be attributed to the increase in the use of internet among Kenyan 95.63 % of the population as in 2011 and mobile phone usage available to 75% of the country’s population.

The unique feature of social media in comparism to mainstream media in terms of the ease of accessibility, affordability, usability and immediacy among other features makes it a prudent alternative not only in propagating an electoral process in order to enhance transparency but also promoting peace. However, social media could also serve as an influential tool in the hands war mongers. This study which focuses on the role of social media in Kenya’s 2013 elections and its implications on African elections, highlights effective monitoring bodies such as the Umati and Uchaguzi among other Apps whose main work was to monitor social media platforms against provocative and inflammatory postings with the potential to incite violence. This ensured that social media, rather than its usage in the transmission of hate speech, was an instrumental tool for social activism, effective communication channel by the various political parties as well as encouraging participation in the entire electoral process.

TABLE OF CONTENT

SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE 2013 KENYA GENERAL ELECTIONS...... 6

1.0 INTRODUCTION ...... 6

1.1 SOCIAL MEDIA ENHANCES THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS ...... 7

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ...... 10

3.0 OVERVIEW OF THE 2013 KENYAN GENERAL ELECTIONS ...... 16 3.1 The 2013 Presidential Election ...... 17 3.2 The Supreme Court upholds Kenyatta’s victory ...... 18 3.3 The Threat of Ethnic Confrontation ...... 19 3.4 The Impact of the New Constitution ...... 20 3.5 The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) ...... 21 3.6 CSOs and NGOs in the Kenyan Elections ...... 23 3.7 The Influence of Technology, Social Media and Social Apps ...... 24 3.8 What made the elections successful? ...... 24 3.9 Challenges Ahead ...... 26

4.0 THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE 2013 KENYAN ELECTIONS ...... 27 4.1 The Power of Social Media ...... 29 4.2 The increase in mobile phones and the upsurge of Social Media in Kenya ...... 30 4.3 Illiteracy and the Internet/Social Media in Kenya ...... 33 4.4 Kenya Politicians and Social Media ...... 35 4.5 Kenyans shape the electoral and political processes through social media ...... 39 4.6 Social Media and the Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) ...... 44 4.6 Sanitizing the social media landscape in the Kenya elections ...... 45 4.7 Proactive Measures ...... 49 4.8 Why monitor social media? ...... 51 4.9 The Lack of Political Will ...... 52

5.0 INTERACTIVE MEDIA AND SOCIAL APPLICATIONS (Apps) IN THE KENYA ELECTIONS ...... 53 5.1 TRACK ALL ...... 56 5.2 UCHAGUZI ...... 57 5.3 AL JAZEERA ...... 58 5.4 THE IEBC’s INTERACTIVE MAP ...... 59 5.5 GOtToVOTE...... 59 5.6 UhuRuto2013 MOBILE APPLICATION ...... 60

6.0 ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE KENYAN ELECTIONS ...... 62

7.0 CONCLUSIONS ...... 71 7.1 Did Social Media Contribute towards ensuring peace? ...... 72 7.2 Was the electoral outcome shaped by social media? ...... 72 7.3 Social Media Deepens Kenya’s Democracy ...... 75 8.0 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 77 REFERENCES ...... 78

hitherto had no measure of control over the use of tense elections a single provocative word is the traditional media in pursuing their own agenda enough to fuel the seemingly intractable ethnic SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE 2013 KENYA or making their voices heard. resentments into full-blown civil wars. GENERAL ELECTIONS Like the traditional media, social media also has 1.1 SOCIAL MEDIA ENHANCES 1.0 INTRODUCTION the potential to stoke tensions and plunge a whole THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS country into mayhem. Its distinctiveness from the The media cannot be shielded from the causes that Kenya and by extension African countries mainstream traditional media like the newspapers, The immense contribution of the media as the are to blame for the rampant political instabilities continue to struggle to achieve a stable and more television, and film in terms of its high level of fourth estate of the realm in a constitutional rule is that continue to fling the democratic process off lasting democracy. Their inconsistent penetration, affordability, easy accessibility and a well-known point that does not need to be the rails in Africa. The conventional media, performance at the polls continue to serve as a usability, immediacy, permanence and belabored. The advent of social media is particularly radio and television have sometimes stumbling block to the deepening of democratic convenience not only makes it a better alternative complementing the efforts of the traditional media unfortunately served as platforms for both tenets in a region plagued by civil wars, famine, but sadly a more dangerous tool in the hands of in ensuring a transparent, accountable, and an all- political actors and ordinary citizens to spew hate poverty and drought. Unlike many advanced war mongers. inclusive system of governance. The increasing and inflammatory speeches, incite violence, and democratic states where there are strong and speed of news cycles and explosion of social stoke tribal tensions. A typical example is the Social media is almost as powerful as the independent institutions, African political media have only served to enhance the democratic most famous infamous Rwandan genocide, which traditional media in terms of reaching a larger institutions are mostly weak and oftentimes at the processes and outcomes. Increasingly the balance is widely believed to have been caused by audience. The real danger lies in the fact that mercy of power-drunk political leaders who of power is shifting in favour of citizens. dangerous, irresponsible comments on a radio social media is difficult to regulate and manipulate them to their advantage. unscrupulous people who use it negatively can be station inciting ethnic hatred and violence. Underpinning this shift is people’s ability to hard to identify, track and bring to justice. Many The path to democratic consolidation has not been communicate with large audiences at minimal The indictment of the presidential aspirant for The have even attributed the strange but genuine a smooth one In Africa. Political instability cost, interact directly with decision-makers, build Jubillee Coaliton, Uhuru Kenyatta, and his vice increase in cyber bullying, online social predators, mainly caused by electoral disputes and conflicts social movements rapidly and globally, inform William Ruto, by the International Criminal Court and the decrease in face-to-face interactions to the are rampant in many African countries. Crisis in and shape news agendas – all through media and (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity due to increase in the use of social media websites. 2 Zimbabwe, DR Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Sudan, social networks. their role in the violent outbursts of the 2007 among others highlight the ongoing struggles that However, the focus of this report will center on its elections attests to this fact. It is alleged they Its contributions to both advanced and young the continent faces in terms of democratic political implications in African elections and 1 inappropriately made use of the media to reach democratic countries are immense. Though Social consolidation (Alex Laverty, 2011) . And Kenya democracy, precisely the use or role of social the bulk of their supporters to take up arms. Media is relatively new especially in less is no exception. media in the Kenyan elections. developed countries in Africa, its impact on the Furthermore, the emergence of the relatively new The last Kenyan elections held in 2007 resulted in political landscape cannot be overemphasized. Social media, thanks to the internet, and the Social media has been described as a double- an ethnic-based bloody conflict that claimed the edged sword that can be used to promote peace proliferation of mobile phones presents a whole Social media in the modern era has the potential lives of more than 1000 Kenyans and displaced and also to incite violence. What is more new challenge for African governments in to liberate people from authoritarian regimes by over 300,000 others. The opposition alleged there terrifying is that, the threat of social media is very combating dangerous speech and snide tribal facilitating mobilization against such rule. Little were instances of electoral fraud and manipulation difficult to tackle since it is neither regulated - remarks that are the catalysts for potential and by little, the new media help to open up public that favoured the incumbent president. This thoughts or opinions published on these platforms actual election violence that has been the bane of spaces, creating a more pluralistic, and escalated into one of the unfortunate and worst do not adhere to any strict ethical code of fledgling democracies in Africa. Whilst autonomous avenue of news, commentary, and politically motivated violence since the country journalism or the core principles of journalism- authorities are constantly seeking ways to address information which provides a conducive platform gained independence from Britain in 1963. nor does it pass through any official editing. the misuse of the mainstream media especially during critical times of elections, Social media has 2 Media, social media and democratic governance 1 Laverty, Alex (2011). “ICT, Social Media, and Elections Thus, it presents a real and worrying threat to (WP1110). in Africa: A Prospective Study” become a vast platform for even people who democratic consolidation in Africa where during (https://www.wiltonpark.org.uk/conference/wp1110/) hitherto had no measure of control over the use of tense elections a single provocative word is the traditional media in pursuing their own agenda enough to fuel the seemingly intractable ethnic SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE 2013 KENYA or making their voices heard. resentments into full-blown civil wars. GENERAL ELECTIONS Like the traditional media, social media also has 1.1 SOCIAL MEDIA ENHANCES 1.0 INTRODUCTION the potential to stoke tensions and plunge a whole THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS country into mayhem. Its distinctiveness from the The media cannot be shielded from the causes that Kenya and by extension African countries mainstream traditional media like the newspapers, The immense contribution of the media as the are to blame for the rampant political instabilities continue to struggle to achieve a stable and more television, and film in terms of its high level of fourth estate of the realm in a constitutional rule is that continue to fling the democratic process off lasting democracy. Their inconsistent penetration, affordability, easy accessibility and a well-known point that does not need to be the rails in Africa. The conventional media, performance at the polls continue to serve as a usability, immediacy, permanence and belabored. The advent of social media is particularly radio and television have sometimes stumbling block to the deepening of democratic convenience not only makes it a better alternative complementing the efforts of the traditional media unfortunately served as platforms for both tenets in a region plagued by civil wars, famine, but sadly a more dangerous tool in the hands of in ensuring a transparent, accountable, and an all- political actors and ordinary citizens to spew hate poverty and drought. Unlike many advanced war mongers. inclusive system of governance. The increasing and inflammatory speeches, incite violence, and democratic states where there are strong and speed of news cycles and explosion of social stoke tribal tensions. A typical example is the Social media is almost as powerful as the independent institutions, African political media have only served to enhance the democratic most famous infamous Rwandan genocide, which traditional media in terms of reaching a larger institutions are mostly weak and oftentimes at the processes and outcomes. Increasingly the balance is widely believed to have been caused by audience. The real danger lies in the fact that mercy of power-drunk political leaders who of power is shifting in favour of citizens. dangerous, irresponsible comments on a radio social media is difficult to regulate and manipulate them to their advantage. unscrupulous people who use it negatively can be station inciting ethnic hatred and violence. Underpinning this shift is people’s ability to hard to identify, track and bring to justice. Many The path to democratic consolidation has not been communicate with large audiences at minimal The indictment of the presidential aspirant for The have even attributed the strange but genuine a smooth one In Africa. Political instability cost, interact directly with decision-makers, build Jubillee Coaliton, Uhuru Kenyatta, and his vice increase in cyber bullying, online social predators, mainly caused by electoral disputes and conflicts social movements rapidly and globally, inform William Ruto, by the International Criminal Court and the decrease in face-to-face interactions to the are rampant in many African countries. Crisis in and shape news agendas – all through media and (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity due to increase in the use of social media websites. 2 Zimbabwe, DR Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Sudan, social networks. their role in the violent outbursts of the 2007 among others highlight the ongoing struggles that However, the focus of this report will center on its elections attests to this fact. It is alleged they Its contributions to both advanced and young the continent faces in terms of democratic political implications in African elections and 1 inappropriately made use of the media to reach democratic countries are immense. Though Social consolidation (Alex Laverty, 2011) . And Kenya democracy, precisely the use or role of social the bulk of their supporters to take up arms. Media is relatively new especially in less is no exception. media in the Kenyan elections. developed countries in Africa, its impact on the Furthermore, the emergence of the relatively new The last Kenyan elections held in 2007 resulted in political landscape cannot be overemphasized. Social media, thanks to the internet, and the Social media has been described as a double- an ethnic-based bloody conflict that claimed the edged sword that can be used to promote peace proliferation of mobile phones presents a whole Social media in the modern era has the potential lives of more than 1000 Kenyans and displaced and also to incite violence. What is more new challenge for African governments in to liberate people from authoritarian regimes by over 300,000 others. The opposition alleged there terrifying is that, the threat of social media is very combating dangerous speech and snide tribal facilitating mobilization against such rule. Little were instances of electoral fraud and manipulation difficult to tackle since it is neither regulated - remarks that are the catalysts for potential and by little, the new media help to open up public that favoured the incumbent president. This thoughts or opinions published on these platforms actual election violence that has been the bane of spaces, creating a more pluralistic, and escalated into one of the unfortunate and worst do not adhere to any strict ethical code of fledgling democracies in Africa. Whilst autonomous avenue of news, commentary, and politically motivated violence since the country journalism or the core principles of journalism- authorities are constantly seeking ways to address information which provides a conducive platform gained independence from Britain in 1963. nor does it pass through any official editing. the misuse of the mainstream media especially during critical times of elections, Social media has 2 Media, social media and democratic governance 1 Laverty, Alex (2011). “ICT, Social Media, and Elections Thus, it presents a real and worrying threat to (WP1110). in Africa: A Prospective Study” become a vast platform for even people who democratic consolidation in Africa where during (https://www.wiltonpark.org.uk/conference/wp1110/) for sensitizing and mobilizing the public in elections on the African continent, ordinary It is amazing how social media has suddenly Permanency of information stored on social repressive countries into action. citizens easily employ social media to keenly turned many people into amateur journalists who media is also another plus to this new and monitor the progress of the electoral process. readily relay any news item they pounce on to innovative media. Industrial media, once created, Major political changes, such as those in the During election campaigns, social media is their colleagues and other users of social media. cannot be altered (once a magazine article is Middle East since 2010, can indeed be seen as a effectively used by politicians in mobilizing even As Lorraine Onduru aptly noted, “new printed and distributed, changes cannot be made direct result of the use of social media, and can partially apathetic citizens to support their cause technologies have indeed encouraged the to that same article) whereas social media can be aptly be described as a veritable “Facebook 6 3 since mobilization is an indispensable exercise in development of citizen journalism”. altered almost instantaneously by comments or Revolution”. (Unwin, 2012). Social Media political movements. This is particularly editing. (Morgan et al, 2010) helped dissidents drive dictators from power in important in democratic dispensations where Audiences proactively collect and share emerging Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. Indeed, the technology majority carries the vote. information with media houses and people in Politically-minded NGOs and CSOs whose main can empower those who wish to become political general. Audiences are invading an arena that has focus is on political reformation, civic liberty and and change authoritarian rule. (Diamond, 2011).4 Besides ambitious politicians who are utilizing been the preserve of journalists. What is more, social justice will no longer have to navigate a social media to touch base with the ordinary people have realized the importance of adopting labyrinth of bureaucratic procedures and piles of Even in liberated regimes, social media is citizens, the politically active public is using an intelligent curiosity mindset, where they paper work to trace cases of abuse, fraud and likewise useful. Governments, the world over, are social media at a rate never seen before. The tech- challenge what is presented before them. All these corruption in especially “high places” of now resorting to this new media to explain their savvy public employs social media to hold the developments signal a new era of media government establishments. Social media makes policies to their people. Through this same media, government and government officials consumers that are heavily involved in the process such data gathering and documentation accessible they are now able to elicit the views, opinions, accountable. Dana Radcliffe confirms, “Protesters of information gathering. (Onduru, 2013) and easier. As Larry Diamond observes, “The new suggestions and contributions of the people in the have used communications technology to organize ICTs are also powerful instruments for form of inputs into the political system. Social massive demonstrations against government Larry Diamond also stresses the power social transparency and accountability, documenting and media is not one-sided like the traditional media. policies in Spain, Greece, Israel and India”.5 Their media affords the ordinary citizens. He argues “It deterring abuses of human rights and democratic It is highly interactive and enables government main targets were elected government officials enables citizens to report news, expose procedures”. officials and citizens to connect easily. they saw as corrupt or indifferent to the interests wrongdoing, express opinions, mobilize protest, of most people in those countries. monitor elections, scrutinize government, deepen Social media provides a powerful shield for Gradually, the once-alienated citizens are being participation, and expand the horizons of whistleblowers to leak information on corrupt drawn into the management and administration of It seems the public is constantly alerted on the freedom”.(Diamond, 2011) deals of government officials by staying the affairs of their own state - the views of the actions and inactions of the people in whose anonymous and concealing their identity whilst public on the use of state resources and civic hands they have entrusted the destiny of their Besides, the rate at which Social Media transmits providing vital information to the public and other participation in the adoption, formulation and nation on social media. Government officials and information is phenomenal. Access to information concerned institutions. It is becoming increasingly implementation of government policies are government projects, programmes and policies are is very vital in the democratic process as it common for people to make secret recordings of growing tremendously with the advent of social constantly monitored, scrutinized and analyzed by enables the citizenry to make informed choices, conversations or capture events on their mobile media. people who quickly share their findings and decisions and contributions to government phones and upload them on the Internet through policies, programmes and projects. Social media Social Media has the enviable potential to conclusions on social media. People no longer YouTube. have to wait on official news reports from the transfers information at a terrific speed. Since it contribute to free, fair and transparent elections consists of many interconnected individuals, In addition, social media can provide the thereby enhancing the electoral process. In recent various newspapers, radio and televisions to be adequately informed on the state of affairs in their information passed on from one person to another anonymity necessary to challenge authority. in a moment rapidly reaches tens of thousands of Hypothetical Tweets such as “[electoral country. 3 Unwin, Tim (2012). “Social media and democracy: people. commission] shuts down voting early,” or “Judge critical reflections, Background Paper for receives bribe,” are the bits of information that 6 Commonwealth Onduru, Lorraine “Development of the Media and the can transcend government censorship, educate the Parliamentary Conference, Colombo, September 2012.” 5 Radcliffe, Dana (October 18, 2011). “Can Social Media Impact on Kenyan Political 4 Diamond, Larry “Liberation Technology”, Journal of Undermine Democracy?” Communication”http://www.hkstrategies.com/Media_D Democracy, Volume 21, Number 3, July 2010, pp. 69-83 (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dana-radcliffe/can- evelopment_Impact_on_Kenyan_Political_Communicatio (Article) social-media-undermine_b_1011290.html) ns for sensitizing and mobilizing the public in elections on the African continent, ordinary It is amazing how social media has suddenly Permanency of information stored on social repressive countries into action. citizens easily employ social media to keenly turned many people into amateur journalists who media is also another plus to this new and monitor the progress of the electoral process. readily relay any news item they pounce on to innovative media. Industrial media, once created, Major political changes, such as those in the During election campaigns, social media is their colleagues and other users of social media. cannot be altered (once a magazine article is Middle East since 2010, can indeed be seen as a effectively used by politicians in mobilizing even As Lorraine Onduru aptly noted, “new printed and distributed, changes cannot be made direct result of the use of social media, and can partially apathetic citizens to support their cause technologies have indeed encouraged the to that same article) whereas social media can be aptly be described as a veritable “Facebook 6 3 since mobilization is an indispensable exercise in development of citizen journalism”. altered almost instantaneously by comments or Revolution”. (Unwin, 2012). Social Media political movements. This is particularly editing. (Morgan et al, 2010) helped dissidents drive dictators from power in important in democratic dispensations where Audiences proactively collect and share emerging Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. Indeed, the technology majority carries the vote. information with media houses and people in Politically-minded NGOs and CSOs whose main can empower those who wish to become political general. Audiences are invading an arena that has focus is on political reformation, civic liberty and and change authoritarian rule. (Diamond, 2011).4 Besides ambitious politicians who are utilizing been the preserve of journalists. What is more, social justice will no longer have to navigate a social media to touch base with the ordinary people have realized the importance of adopting labyrinth of bureaucratic procedures and piles of Even in liberated regimes, social media is citizens, the politically active public is using an intelligent curiosity mindset, where they paper work to trace cases of abuse, fraud and likewise useful. Governments, the world over, are social media at a rate never seen before. The tech- challenge what is presented before them. All these corruption in especially “high places” of now resorting to this new media to explain their savvy public employs social media to hold the developments signal a new era of media government establishments. Social media makes policies to their people. Through this same media, government and government officials consumers that are heavily involved in the process such data gathering and documentation accessible they are now able to elicit the views, opinions, accountable. Dana Radcliffe confirms, “Protesters of information gathering. (Onduru, 2013) and easier. As Larry Diamond observes, “The new suggestions and contributions of the people in the have used communications technology to organize ICTs are also powerful instruments for form of inputs into the political system. Social massive demonstrations against government Larry Diamond also stresses the power social transparency and accountability, documenting and media is not one-sided like the traditional media. policies in Spain, Greece, Israel and India”.5 Their media affords the ordinary citizens. He argues “It deterring abuses of human rights and democratic It is highly interactive and enables government main targets were elected government officials enables citizens to report news, expose procedures”. officials and citizens to connect easily. they saw as corrupt or indifferent to the interests wrongdoing, express opinions, mobilize protest, of most people in those countries. monitor elections, scrutinize government, deepen Social media provides a powerful shield for Gradually, the once-alienated citizens are being participation, and expand the horizons of whistleblowers to leak information on corrupt drawn into the management and administration of It seems the public is constantly alerted on the freedom”.(Diamond, 2011) deals of government officials by staying the affairs of their own state - the views of the actions and inactions of the people in whose anonymous and concealing their identity whilst public on the use of state resources and civic hands they have entrusted the destiny of their Besides, the rate at which Social Media transmits providing vital information to the public and other participation in the adoption, formulation and nation on social media. Government officials and information is phenomenal. Access to information concerned institutions. It is becoming increasingly implementation of government policies are government projects, programmes and policies are is very vital in the democratic process as it common for people to make secret recordings of growing tremendously with the advent of social constantly monitored, scrutinized and analyzed by enables the citizenry to make informed choices, conversations or capture events on their mobile media. people who quickly share their findings and decisions and contributions to government phones and upload them on the Internet through policies, programmes and projects. Social media Social Media has the enviable potential to conclusions on social media. People no longer YouTube. have to wait on official news reports from the transfers information at a terrific speed. Since it contribute to free, fair and transparent elections consists of many interconnected individuals, In addition, social media can provide the thereby enhancing the electoral process. In recent various newspapers, radio and televisions to be adequately informed on the state of affairs in their information passed on from one person to another anonymity necessary to challenge authority. in a moment rapidly reaches tens of thousands of Hypothetical Tweets such as “[electoral country. 3 Unwin, Tim (2012). “Social media and democracy: people. commission] shuts down voting early,” or “Judge critical reflections, Background Paper for receives bribe,” are the bits of information that 6 Commonwealth Onduru, Lorraine “Development of the Media and the can transcend government censorship, educate the Parliamentary Conference, Colombo, September 2012.” 5 Radcliffe, Dana (October 18, 2011). “Can Social Media Impact on Kenyan Political 4 Diamond, Larry “Liberation Technology”, Journal of Undermine Democracy?” Communication”http://www.hkstrategies.com/Media_D Democracy, Volume 21, Number 3, July 2010, pp. 69-83 (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dana-radcliffe/can- evelopment_Impact_on_Kenyan_Political_Communicatio (Article) social-media-undermine_b_1011290.html) ns public, generate public outcry, and keep This report therefore seeks to investigate the role Larry Diamond has coined the term Liberation monitor national elections in Ghana and Nigeria, politicians more honest. (Oliver, 2012)7 Social media played – positive or negative- in the Technology to describe the role ICT and social to facilitate rapid reporting of human-rights Kenyan elections and its implications for other media play in affording the common people a violations in Egypt, to inform citizens about anti- In spite of all the above benefits social media has African countries. It would be very helpful in united voice against oppression in authoritarian corruption and human-rights issues in Senegal, brought to Democracy, some have argued that alerting political scientists and analysts, security regimes and thereby securing their own liberty. and to monitor and report civil unrest in Pakistan. Democratic government requires much more than agencies, government officials, civil societies, Diamond notes that “Liberation Technology” is just Tweets and Facebook support groups.(Oliver, non-governmental organizations, and the general able to enable citizens to report news, expose Diamond’s study of the impact of digital 2012) As Malcolm Gladwell describes in public to the threat or otherwise of social media in wrongdoing, express opinions, mobilize protest, technology or ICT in ensuring freedom barely an essay in The New Yorker, social media is African elections by contributing to the increasing monitor elections, scrutinize government, deepen examines the role it plays in ensuring free and fair excellent at increasing participation through discussion on the impact of social media on participation, and expand the horizons of freedom. elections in both democratic and authoritarian networks, but it is inadequate for structuring democratic governance. regimes. It is obvious that elections are the hierarchies, such as a government.8 The new ICTs are two way and even multi-way bellwether of the sustainability and resilience of In this light, the purpose of the following review forms of communication unlike the radio and any democracy and the role of the ICT and its Paul Oliver (2012) critically notes that the passive is to assess the role of social media in contributing television and one can instantly reach large numerous applications like the social media in relationships of social media do not provide the to a more stable and lasting democracy, focusing audience using a social media platform like either contributing to credible elections or rules, regulations, and procedures necessary for particularly for the purpose of this research on its Twitter and Facebook. Since it makes users active unsuccessful elections deserves a mention and democratic government. According to Darrel 9 impact on elections. by turning them into journalists, commentators, need to be thoroughly investigated. West (2011) , Social Networking has proven videographers, entertainers, and organizers, this difficult to sustain political interest and activism technology can empower those who wish to Even though Diamond’s comprehensive research online over time and move electronic engagement may have little relevance to this report since it 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW become political and to challenge authoritarian from campaigns to governance despite its track rule to do so with boldness and ease. does not cover ICT and elections record for generating democratic engagement. comprehensively, the role social media and ICT is This section presents the state of the literature on He captures the challenging role of ICT and playing in empowering the citizenry to fight for Besides, most of the information on social media the subject matter of new technologies, social Social Media in opening and widening the public their own freedom is highly conspicuous in his websites could be based on hearsays and even media, electioneering and other related issues. sphere in Malaysia, China despite restrictive work. unverified gossips, the authenticity of such Specifically, the section discusses issues including measures from the authoritarian governments who 10 “unofficial social media news” is mostly the concept of Liberation Technology, freedom seek to control the flow of information. He Farid Shirazi , bases his study “The Contribution questioned and can create undue tension, anxiety, and democracy, traditional mass media, election stresses the technological ways employed by the of ICT to Freedom and Democracy: An empirical and ultimately fear and panic among the public violence, and the impact of various types of social citizens in these countries to resist repressive rule analysis of archival data on the Middle East” on depending on the nature of the information. media on elections in general and of Kenyan especially the techniques of netizens who find an empirical analysis of Information and elections in particular. ways through China’s Great Firewall and disguise Communications Technology (ICT) archival data 7 Oliver, Paul (2012).“The Shortcomings of Social Media for ten Middle Eastern countries: Bahrain, Iran, in Democracy Building”. their criticisms of the government in puns. Larry Diamond (2011) refers to any form of Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi (www.www.policymic.com/articles/1515/the- information and communication technology (ICT) shortcomings-of-social-media-in-democracy- Under monitoring governance and exposing Arabia, Syria, and United Arab Emirates for the building/11451) that can expand political, social and economic abuses, Diamond asserts that Liberation period of 1995-2003. 8 Gladwell, Malcom (October 4, 2010) “Why the freedom as Liberation Technology. In the technology is an “accountability technology” in revolution will not be tweeted”. contemporary era, Diamond argues, it means that it provides efficient and powerful tools for Using a set of regression analyses, Shirazi’s paper (http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/04/1 essentially the modern, interrelated forms of shows that ICT expansion in the Middle East has 01004fa_fact_gladwell?printable=true) transparency and monitoring. Briefly, he makes 9 not only resulted in the bridging of the Digital West, Darrel (June 28, 2011). “How Social Networking digital ICT – the computer, the Internet, the mention of the use of open-sourced software like Can Reinvigorate American Democracy and Civic mobile phone, and countless innovative FrontlineSMS which enables large-scale, two-way Participation”. applications for them, including “new social 10 (www.brookings.edu/events/2011/06/28-social- text messaging purely via mobile phones which Shirazi, Farid. “The contribution of ICT to freedom and media) media” such as Facebook and Twitter. has been used over mobile phone networks to democracy: an empirical analysis of archival data on the middle east” public, generate public outcry, and keep This report therefore seeks to investigate the role Larry Diamond has coined the term Liberation monitor national elections in Ghana and Nigeria, politicians more honest. (Oliver, 2012)7 Social media played – positive or negative- in the Technology to describe the role ICT and social to facilitate rapid reporting of human-rights Kenyan elections and its implications for other media play in affording the common people a violations in Egypt, to inform citizens about anti- In spite of all the above benefits social media has African countries. It would be very helpful in united voice against oppression in authoritarian corruption and human-rights issues in Senegal, brought to Democracy, some have argued that alerting political scientists and analysts, security regimes and thereby securing their own liberty. and to monitor and report civil unrest in Pakistan. Democratic government requires much more than agencies, government officials, civil societies, Diamond notes that “Liberation Technology” is just Tweets and Facebook support groups.(Oliver, non-governmental organizations, and the general able to enable citizens to report news, expose Diamond’s study of the impact of digital 2012) As Malcolm Gladwell describes in public to the threat or otherwise of social media in wrongdoing, express opinions, mobilize protest, technology or ICT in ensuring freedom barely an essay in The New Yorker, social media is African elections by contributing to the increasing monitor elections, scrutinize government, deepen examines the role it plays in ensuring free and fair excellent at increasing participation through discussion on the impact of social media on participation, and expand the horizons of freedom. elections in both democratic and authoritarian networks, but it is inadequate for structuring democratic governance. regimes. It is obvious that elections are the hierarchies, such as a government.8 The new ICTs are two way and even multi-way bellwether of the sustainability and resilience of In this light, the purpose of the following review forms of communication unlike the radio and any democracy and the role of the ICT and its Paul Oliver (2012) critically notes that the passive is to assess the role of social media in contributing television and one can instantly reach large numerous applications like the social media in relationships of social media do not provide the to a more stable and lasting democracy, focusing audience using a social media platform like either contributing to credible elections or rules, regulations, and procedures necessary for particularly for the purpose of this research on its Twitter and Facebook. Since it makes users active unsuccessful elections deserves a mention and democratic government. According to Darrel 9 impact on elections. by turning them into journalists, commentators, need to be thoroughly investigated. West (2011) , Social Networking has proven videographers, entertainers, and organizers, this difficult to sustain political interest and activism technology can empower those who wish to Even though Diamond’s comprehensive research online over time and move electronic engagement may have little relevance to this report since it 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW become political and to challenge authoritarian from campaigns to governance despite its track rule to do so with boldness and ease. does not cover ICT and elections record for generating democratic engagement. comprehensively, the role social media and ICT is This section presents the state of the literature on He captures the challenging role of ICT and playing in empowering the citizenry to fight for Besides, most of the information on social media the subject matter of new technologies, social Social Media in opening and widening the public their own freedom is highly conspicuous in his websites could be based on hearsays and even media, electioneering and other related issues. sphere in Malaysia, China despite restrictive work. unverified gossips, the authenticity of such Specifically, the section discusses issues including measures from the authoritarian governments who 10 “unofficial social media news” is mostly the concept of Liberation Technology, freedom seek to control the flow of information. He Farid Shirazi , bases his study “The Contribution questioned and can create undue tension, anxiety, and democracy, traditional mass media, election stresses the technological ways employed by the of ICT to Freedom and Democracy: An empirical and ultimately fear and panic among the public violence, and the impact of various types of social citizens in these countries to resist repressive rule analysis of archival data on the Middle East” on depending on the nature of the information. media on elections in general and of Kenyan especially the techniques of netizens who find an empirical analysis of Information and elections in particular. ways through China’s Great Firewall and disguise Communications Technology (ICT) archival data 7 Oliver, Paul (2012).“The Shortcomings of Social Media for ten Middle Eastern countries: Bahrain, Iran, in Democracy Building”. their criticisms of the government in puns. Larry Diamond (2011) refers to any form of Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi (www.www.policymic.com/articles/1515/the- information and communication technology (ICT) shortcomings-of-social-media-in-democracy- Under monitoring governance and exposing Arabia, Syria, and United Arab Emirates for the building/11451) that can expand political, social and economic abuses, Diamond asserts that Liberation period of 1995-2003. 8 Gladwell, Malcom (October 4, 2010) “Why the freedom as Liberation Technology. In the technology is an “accountability technology” in revolution will not be tweeted”. contemporary era, Diamond argues, it means that it provides efficient and powerful tools for Using a set of regression analyses, Shirazi’s paper (http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/04/1 essentially the modern, interrelated forms of shows that ICT expansion in the Middle East has 01004fa_fact_gladwell?printable=true) transparency and monitoring. Briefly, he makes 9 not only resulted in the bridging of the Digital West, Darrel (June 28, 2011). “How Social Networking digital ICT – the computer, the Internet, the mention of the use of open-sourced software like Can Reinvigorate American Democracy and Civic mobile phone, and countless innovative FrontlineSMS which enables large-scale, two-way Participation”. applications for them, including “new social 10 (www.brookings.edu/events/2011/06/28-social- text messaging purely via mobile phones which Shirazi, Farid. “The contribution of ICT to freedom and media) media” such as Facebook and Twitter. has been used over mobile phone networks to democracy: an empirical analysis of archival data on the middle east” Divide between the Middle East and developed knowledge to handle the sometimes sophisticated key – even if unintentional – role in encouraging including possible avenues for the peaceful countries, it has also had a positive impact on ICT and its various applications. polarization, exacerbating tensions and escalating resolution of disputes. promoting democracy and freedom of expression violence during an election period. in a region that suffers most from political, social Most importantly, Shirazi omits the role social Munyua finally concludes that Kenya’s election and global conflicts (Freedom House, 2006; media plays during elections in the Middle East. However, Alice Munyua’s characterization or violence revealed the role of media, Social media Reporters Without Borders, 2005; cited by This may be due to the already-known fact that description of the media as not the defining factor and mobile telephones in fostering the spread of Shirazi). most countries in the Middle East rarely organize is ambiguous and not quite accurate. Whilst it is a violence; but equally it showed their role in elections because of the non-democratic forms of truism that politicians and government spreading peace-related messages and offering a What makes Shirazi’s study more relevant to this political organizations or systems of rule they propaganda or ineffective dialogue can exacerbate space for reconciliation. research is the background demography of the subscribe to. This makes his study partially tensions and instigate violence, it is undeniable Middle East where he based his study. The inadequate in understanding the role of social that the media serve as a bridge between high- As expected, the use of hate speech is now a Middle East has a lot in common with the African media in elections in general and African profile politicians and the masses and therefore criminal offense under the new 2010 Kenyan sub-region in terms of political, social and elections in particular. speeds up communication between them. Without constitution following the widespread use of hate speech in the 2007 electoral disputes. Thus, while economic challenges. Many countries in the 11 the media, it would be difficult for especially Middle East like Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Alice Munyua’s study into the “Perceptions and government propaganda to stoke tensions at the Munyua’s study into the influence of the ICT and Arabia, Oman just to mention a few are not Misconceptions: The Role of new and traditional grassroots where normally the violence starts. the media in propagating hate speech in a democratic – Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are media in Kenya’s post-election violence (2007)” paradigm where the use of hate speech was not a constitutional monarchies, Bahrain is a is particularly in line with this research. Even Even though, she explains, the old Kenyan criminal offense, this study would also look into constitutional hereditary monarchy, Qatar is a though Elections in Kenya have been associated constitution guaranteed individual freedom in the impact of social media on the Kenya elections hereditary monarchy and Oman is an absolute with violence for almost two decades, Munyua terms of the freedom of expression and the under a paradigm where hate speech is now an monarchy. Others like Iran are Theocratic admits that the tensions escalated as mobile independence of electronic, print and all other offense punishable by law. In other words, how Republics, while Syria is a republic under an phones and the internet became additional means types of media, it did not extend to address issues would the law or the threat of legal punishment authoritarian military-dominated regime. used for political discussions that took on an of ethnic incitement, hate speech, incitement to affect the use of Social media in spreading hate ethnic dimension and a political bias on a scale violence, propaganda for war, incitement to cause speech and inciting violence? Would it be a Like the Middle East, the political space in Africa that had not been experienced before. But she was harm or content that is discriminatory or amounts deterrent or not? is not well liberalized and democracy is not also quick to add that the use of media to spread to the vilification of others. However, Chapter 12 properly consolidated even in the few countries violence and encourage a particular ideology is Four of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution Presley Ifukor investigates the role of social that have recently adopted democratic rule. Both not new to Kenya. states that the right to freedom of expression does media in the 2007 Nigerian Elections in his study: regions have equally seen periods of relative not give anyone a right to use hate speech. “Elections” or “Selections”? Blogging and tolerance and violence. Although the role of traditional media and social Twittering the Nigerian 2007 Elections.” His media is believed to have been significant enough Kenya’s post-election violence demonstrated the article examines the linguistic construction of In spite of the commonalities that these two to impact on the levels of violence (both effects that new technology can have. Despite a textual messages in the use of blogs and Twitter in regions share, it is an open secret that there are positively and negatively), it was not the defining history of violence associated with elections, these the Nigerian 2007 electoral cycle comprising the major differences between them. For instance, the factor. Hate speech in Kenya was not the were the first elections where mobile phones and April 2007 general elections and subsequent rerun high number of different ethnic groups and responsibility of media alone– on previous access to vernacular radio stations were widely elections in April, May and August 2009. By languages in African countries makes them occasions it has emanated directly from available. Mobile phones and media (including looking at the usage of the medium by vulnerable to ethnic conflicts and thus makes politicians and government offices. Government social media) can play the roles of mirroring government officials, Ifukor describes the lead up national cohesion more difficult. Besides, there is propaganda and ineffective dialogue can have a events and providing an important opportunity for to the Nigerian election and it profiles the a very high literacy rate in the Middle East than in reflection and insight into political dynamics. development of blogging. He also provides

Africa, and therefore, ICT will generally be more 11 Munyua, Alice; “Perceptions and Misconceptions: The They can analyze the level of dialogue, the embraced in the Middle East than in Africa where Role of New and Traditional Media in Kenya’s Post- polarization, and progress towards reconciliation, 12 Ifukor, Presley.“Blogging and Twittering the Nigerian election violence (2007)” few people in the city have the technical 2007 General Elections”. samples of blogs used by the electorate, insight into the impact of social media and corrupt practices, as well as creating an democracies (taking cognizance of Held’s, 2006, specifically those that gave personal accounts of elections in Africa, It would have been very environment that provides fewer chances to important emphasis that there are many different events on Election Day. helpful to this research to know whether or not conduct such practices. kinds of democracy). His second aim focuses dangerous speech was used on the social media attention particularly on the impacts of social He uses a qualitative approach of discourse platform in the Nigerian elections, and how it Her study has significance for researching into media on the engagement of the poorest and most analysis to present a variety of discursive acts that affected the elections if it was indeed used. ICT and democracy in Kenya since Kenya also marginalized in political processes. The third aim blogging and microblogging afford social media has seen a dramatic increase in mobile phones and 13 emphasizes on the importance for governments to users during the electoral cycle. His data were Catherine Bailard (2010) , a former UCLA PhD the number of people who use it. Nevertheless, enable all of their citizens to have opportunities to culled from 245 blog posts and 923 tweets. An student, examines the impact of mobile phones on Bailard’s study does not address the explosion of participate in these new forms of political analysis of the data shows that there is a the corrupt side of the economy in “Mobile Phone social media and its impact on corruption, let engagement. dialectical relationship between social media Diffusion and Corruption in Africa”. She provides alone elections. discourse and the process of political a background in corruption and mobile phone Unwin emphasizes from the onset that technology empowerment. diffusion in Africa, and she employs two Professor Tim Unwin provides a brilliant resource is not an autonomous power that can inherently be empirical analyses to test her hypothesis. She for discourse in his “Social media and democracy: used for ‘good’ or ‘bad’. To buttress his point, He delves into the discourse used in the blogs and makes use of a fixed regression of data to see if critical reflections”. He admits the impact of new Unwin refers to evidence in the past where microblogs like Twitter by differentiating the there is any correlation between mobile forms of digital social media in transforming the technologies have been shaped and used by those difference between the words ‘select’ and ‘elect’. penetration and perceived corruption scores across ways in which many people communicate and in power to maintain their positions of power Ifukor specifically addresses microblogs and share information, especially during the first 46 African countries between 1999 and 2006. She st (Habermas, 1978; Unwin, 2009). This raises the weblogs (blogs) as they relate to the 2007 also adds a critical addition that seeks to “address decade of the 21 century. He however maintains questions: Are new ICTs actually any different Nigerian election. His questions are based in the the endogeneity and misspecification concerns that very little is understood about the effects of from this? Have they actually created a new political science realm, as he seeks to discover that accompany such cross-country quantitative the advent of social media platforms, such as information age (Castells, 2000) whereby existing what role these blogs play in political discourse analyses”. Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube, as well as structures and political processes can be and activities of the 21st century. blogging environments and online discussion fora, fundamentally changed? He argues that there is no The study provides insight into the benefits of on political processes. Unwin argues that even simple answer to this. The thesis of his study is that citizens’ access to explosion of mobile phones, the link between though there is a willingness to believe that social social media electronically empowers the democracy and corruption, and the amount of media are making political processes more Unwin concludes with pro-poor sentiments that electorates to be actively involved in democratic privatization of a nation’s telecom company. She democratic, the evidence to back such assertions new technologies are generally not developed by governance. He posits that electronic tries to counterbalance certain biases or control is mostly not available. the poor and the marginalized in society. Thus, he empowerment is a direct result of access to social for certain factors that may nullify her findings. continues, if they are to benefit from social media, media (and mobile telephony) by more citizens She explains why Namibia was chosen as her He places at one extreme those who believe that there needs to be an external entity that would who constitute the electorates. This encourages sample country. She also provides guidance on major political changes, such as those in the ensure that such technologies can be used in the more public discussions about politics and makes how she selected her variables for the study, and Middle East since 2010, are a direct result of the political, social or economic interest of the poor. the democratic process more dynamic than in the how they interacted with one other. use of social media and therefore terms it as pre-social media era. Importantly however, he “Facebook Revolution”. At the other extreme, While this is true, it can also be argued that the seeks answers to how blogging can challenge Finally, Bailard concludes that mobile phones will Unwin puts those who see the use of social media poor does not need to develop new technologies autocratic regimes, since much of Africa would have a negative impact, thus lessening corruption, and the internet by governments and large private in order to effect any fundamental change. The fall under this political category. by decentralizing information and sector corporations as a means of surveillance and success of the Arab Spring did not require the communication. The diffusion of mobile devices maintaining control over citizens. development of any new technology that served Ifukor, however, seems to omit the danger increase the chance of being caught conducting the interest of the poor. The popular social media blogging and twittering could cause in the The aim of Unwin’s paper is threefold: First, to platforms, namely Facebook and Twitter, are Nigerian elections by inciting violence through highlight that there is considerable ambivalence in 13 Bailard, Catherine (October 14, 2010). “Mobile Phone available to all and sundry, and as in the Arab provocative messages and vitriolic Diffusion and Corruption in Africa”. approaches to the role of social media in political Spring, can be used by the masses to effect pronouncements. Though his study provides deep processes, particularly with respect to samples of blogs used by the electorate, insight into the impact of social media and corrupt practices, as well as creating an democracies (taking cognizance of Held’s, 2006, specifically those that gave personal accounts of elections in Africa, It would have been very environment that provides fewer chances to important emphasis that there are many different events on Election Day. helpful to this research to know whether or not conduct such practices. kinds of democracy). His second aim focuses dangerous speech was used on the social media attention particularly on the impacts of social He uses a qualitative approach of discourse platform in the Nigerian elections, and how it Her study has significance for researching into media on the engagement of the poorest and most analysis to present a variety of discursive acts that affected the elections if it was indeed used. ICT and democracy in Kenya since Kenya also marginalized in political processes. The third aim blogging and microblogging afford social media has seen a dramatic increase in mobile phones and 13 emphasizes on the importance for governments to users during the electoral cycle. His data were Catherine Bailard (2010) , a former UCLA PhD the number of people who use it. Nevertheless, enable all of their citizens to have opportunities to culled from 245 blog posts and 923 tweets. An student, examines the impact of mobile phones on Bailard’s study does not address the explosion of participate in these new forms of political analysis of the data shows that there is a the corrupt side of the economy in “Mobile Phone social media and its impact on corruption, let engagement. dialectical relationship between social media Diffusion and Corruption in Africa”. She provides alone elections. discourse and the process of political a background in corruption and mobile phone Unwin emphasizes from the onset that technology empowerment. diffusion in Africa, and she employs two Professor Tim Unwin provides a brilliant resource is not an autonomous power that can inherently be empirical analyses to test her hypothesis. She for discourse in his “Social media and democracy: used for ‘good’ or ‘bad’. To buttress his point, He delves into the discourse used in the blogs and makes use of a fixed regression of data to see if critical reflections”. He admits the impact of new Unwin refers to evidence in the past where microblogs like Twitter by differentiating the there is any correlation between mobile forms of digital social media in transforming the technologies have been shaped and used by those difference between the words ‘select’ and ‘elect’. penetration and perceived corruption scores across ways in which many people communicate and in power to maintain their positions of power Ifukor specifically addresses microblogs and share information, especially during the first 46 African countries between 1999 and 2006. She st (Habermas, 1978; Unwin, 2009). This raises the weblogs (blogs) as they relate to the 2007 also adds a critical addition that seeks to “address decade of the 21 century. He however maintains questions: Are new ICTs actually any different Nigerian election. His questions are based in the the endogeneity and misspecification concerns that very little is understood about the effects of from this? Have they actually created a new political science realm, as he seeks to discover that accompany such cross-country quantitative the advent of social media platforms, such as information age (Castells, 2000) whereby existing what role these blogs play in political discourse analyses”. Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube, as well as structures and political processes can be and activities of the 21st century. blogging environments and online discussion fora, fundamentally changed? He argues that there is no The study provides insight into the benefits of on political processes. Unwin argues that even simple answer to this. The thesis of his study is that citizens’ access to explosion of mobile phones, the link between though there is a willingness to believe that social social media electronically empowers the democracy and corruption, and the amount of media are making political processes more Unwin concludes with pro-poor sentiments that electorates to be actively involved in democratic privatization of a nation’s telecom company. She democratic, the evidence to back such assertions new technologies are generally not developed by governance. He posits that electronic tries to counterbalance certain biases or control is mostly not available. the poor and the marginalized in society. Thus, he empowerment is a direct result of access to social for certain factors that may nullify her findings. continues, if they are to benefit from social media, media (and mobile telephony) by more citizens She explains why Namibia was chosen as her He places at one extreme those who believe that there needs to be an external entity that would who constitute the electorates. This encourages sample country. She also provides guidance on major political changes, such as those in the ensure that such technologies can be used in the more public discussions about politics and makes how she selected her variables for the study, and Middle East since 2010, are a direct result of the political, social or economic interest of the poor. the democratic process more dynamic than in the how they interacted with one other. use of social media and therefore terms it as pre-social media era. Importantly however, he “Facebook Revolution”. At the other extreme, While this is true, it can also be argued that the seeks answers to how blogging can challenge Finally, Bailard concludes that mobile phones will Unwin puts those who see the use of social media poor does not need to develop new technologies autocratic regimes, since much of Africa would have a negative impact, thus lessening corruption, and the internet by governments and large private in order to effect any fundamental change. The fall under this political category. by decentralizing information and sector corporations as a means of surveillance and success of the Arab Spring did not require the communication. The diffusion of mobile devices maintaining control over citizens. development of any new technology that served Ifukor, however, seems to omit the danger increase the chance of being caught conducting the interest of the poor. The popular social media blogging and twittering could cause in the The aim of Unwin’s paper is threefold: First, to platforms, namely Facebook and Twitter, are Nigerian elections by inciting violence through highlight that there is considerable ambivalence in 13 Bailard, Catherine (October 14, 2010). “Mobile Phone available to all and sundry, and as in the Arab provocative messages and vitriolic Diffusion and Corruption in Africa”. approaches to the role of social media in political Spring, can be used by the masses to effect pronouncements. Though his study provides deep processes, particularly with respect to fundamental social, economic and political displaced, after Mwai Kibaki won over Raila Figure 3.1: Pictures of Uhuru Kenyatta and occasionally aggressive. A new twist to the change. Odinga by an exceedingly narrow margin in an Raila Odinga general elections was the fact that almost all of the election widely believed to be compromised by presidential aspirants and not a few of the other Notably, Unwin makes no reference to how ICT irregularities. The 2007 Kenyan elections were political aspirants resorted to social media to win and the new social media affect the electoral unexpectedly marred by violent outbursts caused the support of mainly the teeming youth, by process, which is the significant bellwether of the by allegations of electoral manipulations and posting updates on their campaign activities on maturity and resiliency of any democracy. It also fraud. Only 231,728 votes separated the their Twitter and Facebook pages. seems he is particularly skeptical about the impact incumbent President Kibaki and the opposition of ICT and social media in enhancing democracy There were two presidential debates for all the candidate, Mr. Odinga in 2007. th th and thus takes a pessimistic view of the capability eight presidential candidates on the 11 and 25 of ICT and social media to bring about any The 2007 election finally ended with a deal to of February 2013 respectively. One of the main fundamental political change, citing the success of achieve peace and led to the formation of a Figure 3.2: Breakdown of the 4 leading aims of organizing the debates was to encourage social media in the Arab Spring as possibly an coalition government where power was shared coalitions in terms of candidates and governors voting along policy or ideological lines instead of isolated case. This is of significant interest to this between the two candidates of the two major ethnic allegiances. The debate afforded Kenyans research, which seeks to assess the impact of parties which locked horns in the 2007 the opportunity to examine the presidential social media in either positively or negatively, presidential elections – Mwai Kibaki of the candidates squarely in order to make informed effecting any fundamental political change People’s National Unity (PNU) was the president decisions. Topics discussed on the debate through particularly elections. whilst his major political opponent in the included the minimum wage, alleged corruption in elections, Raila Odinga, served as the prime government, land policy, poverty, unemployment Thus this research will be particularly important minister. and the relocation of persons displaced after the in contributing to the few but growing study into 2007 post-election violence, among others. the impact of social media on African elections, Eight presidential candidates contested in the and thereby help to broaden our horizon and 2013 Kenyan elections. They were Raila Odinga Both Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga were able Figure 3.4: The Presidential Debate understanding in the role social media plays in the (Orange Democratic Movement), Uhuru Kenyatta to galvanize broad support across the country, electoral process and ultimately in the democratic (The National Alliance Party), Mohammed which was made possible by the tight grip they process in Africa. Abduba Dida (Alliance of Real Change) and held on their respective ethnic communities Musalia Mudavadi (Amani Alliance). The others coupled with their individual charisma. 3.0 OVERVIEW OF THE 2013 are Martha Karua (Narc Kenya), Paul Muite KENYAN GENERAL (Safina Alliance), James Ole Kiyiapi (Restore and Figure 3.3: Kenyatta on his way to a campaign rally ELECTIONS Build Kenya), and Peter Kenneth (Eagle Alliance).

On March 4, 2013, Kenyans went to the polls by However, the real contest was between the two 3.1 The 2013 Presidential Election the millions to elect not only their fourth president leading coalition parties: The Coalition of Reform but also Senators, MPs, City Governors, Women and Democracy (CORD) led by Raila Odinga and After a close fought contest, Uhuru Kenyatta, who Representatives, county counselors, in one of the The Jubilee Alliance with Uhuru Kenyatta as its was also one of the deputy prime ministers in the most crucial elections the country has held since flagbearer. Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga are coalition government formed after the 2007-08 independence. coincidentally the sons of Kenya’s first president, disputed polls obtained 50.07% to clinch a first Jomo Kenyatta and vice president, Oginga Odinga round victory. His major contender, Raila Odinga, It was their first ever elections held after the 2007 respectively. came second with 43.31%. Kenyatta surpassed the post-election disputes which plunged the country The campaign trails of the various political parties 50-percent level needed to avoid a runoff by just into cataclysmic violence and resulted in the death were as electrifying much as they were over 8,000 votes out of 12.3 million votes cast. of about 1200 Kenyans with roughly 300,000 fundamental social, economic and political displaced, after Mwai Kibaki won over Raila Figure 3.1: Pictures of Uhuru Kenyatta and occasionally aggressive. A new twist to the change. Odinga by an exceedingly narrow margin in an Raila Odinga general elections was the fact that almost all of the election widely believed to be compromised by presidential aspirants and not a few of the other Notably, Unwin makes no reference to how ICT irregularities. The 2007 Kenyan elections were political aspirants resorted to social media to win and the new social media affect the electoral unexpectedly marred by violent outbursts caused the support of mainly the teeming youth, by process, which is the significant bellwether of the by allegations of electoral manipulations and posting updates on their campaign activities on maturity and resiliency of any democracy. It also fraud. Only 231,728 votes separated the their Twitter and Facebook pages. seems he is particularly skeptical about the impact incumbent President Kibaki and the opposition of ICT and social media in enhancing democracy There were two presidential debates for all the candidate, Mr. Odinga in 2007. th th and thus takes a pessimistic view of the capability eight presidential candidates on the 11 and 25 of ICT and social media to bring about any The 2007 election finally ended with a deal to of February 2013 respectively. One of the main fundamental political change, citing the success of achieve peace and led to the formation of a Figure 3.2: Breakdown of the 4 leading aims of organizing the debates was to encourage social media in the Arab Spring as possibly an coalition government where power was shared coalitions in terms of candidates and governors voting along policy or ideological lines instead of isolated case. This is of significant interest to this between the two candidates of the two major ethnic allegiances. The debate afforded Kenyans research, which seeks to assess the impact of parties which locked horns in the 2007 the opportunity to examine the presidential social media in either positively or negatively, presidential elections – Mwai Kibaki of the candidates squarely in order to make informed effecting any fundamental political change People’s National Unity (PNU) was the president decisions. Topics discussed on the debate through particularly elections. whilst his major political opponent in the included the minimum wage, alleged corruption in elections, Raila Odinga, served as the prime government, land policy, poverty, unemployment Thus this research will be particularly important minister. and the relocation of persons displaced after the in contributing to the few but growing study into 2007 post-election violence, among others. the impact of social media on African elections, Eight presidential candidates contested in the and thereby help to broaden our horizon and 2013 Kenyan elections. They were Raila Odinga Both Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga were able Figure 3.4: The Presidential Debate understanding in the role social media plays in the (Orange Democratic Movement), Uhuru Kenyatta to galvanize broad support across the country, electoral process and ultimately in the democratic (The National Alliance Party), Mohammed which was made possible by the tight grip they process in Africa. Abduba Dida (Alliance of Real Change) and held on their respective ethnic communities Musalia Mudavadi (Amani Alliance). The others coupled with their individual charisma. 3.0 OVERVIEW OF THE 2013 are Martha Karua (Narc Kenya), Paul Muite KENYAN GENERAL (Safina Alliance), James Ole Kiyiapi (Restore and Figure 3.3: Kenyatta on his way to a campaign rally ELECTIONS Build Kenya), and Peter Kenneth (Eagle Alliance).

The Government, security agencies, NGOs and CSOs had all been working around the clock to prevent a repeat of the postelection violence that

brought Kenya to the edge of civil war five years ago, when many people were forced from their 3.3 The Threat of Ethnic Confrontation homes after President MwaiKibaki — a Kikuyu "The court has now spoken," Odinga said, "I wish like Kenyatta — was pronounced the winner over Ethnic rivalries fed 2007's fighting, which the president-elect and his team well." Raila Odinga, a Luo. damaged the image of the east African country, Odinga’s acceptance of defeat brought to a close the region's most powerful economy and a key weeks of uncertainty following the March 4 The electronic tallying of the votes was however 3.2 The Supreme Court upholds ally in the U.S.-led war against militant Islam in Kenya elections. marred by technical hitches, and this forced the Kenyatta’s victory the region. 15 IEBC to resort to manual tallying of the votes. The president-elect made a televised victory A repeat of the inter-tribal violence that bloodied Raila Odinga lodged an appeal to the Supreme speech, hours after the announcement, vowing to the 2007 elections lingered in the light of After the declaration of the results, Raila Odinga Court to contest the electoral outcome after work with and serve all Kenyans "without any mounting tension and verbal attacks in the 2013 issued a statement alleging multiple failures in the refusing to accept defeat, on the grounds that the discrimination whatsoever". elections. The death of about 116 people between election's integrity that he said has put Kenyan election was flawed and marred by technical August and September on Kenya’s coastline in democracy on trial. Refusing to accept defeat, problems citing “rampant illegality” in the The Independent Electoral and Boundaries tribal violence as the elections neared heightened Prime Minister Raila Odinga said the election electoral process.16 Commission (IEBC) had insisted that the vote was the tension and compounded the hostile political process experienced multiple failures as he credible, despite technical failures with an announced plans to petition the Supreme Court. Kenya's Supreme Court upheld Uhuru Kenyatta's electronic voter ID system and the vote counting climate. presidential election victory, rejecting several mechanism. Ethnic-based alliances also added to the rising Odinga, however, asked for calm and for Kenyans petitions challenging the vote after reviewing the tensions.The two main opposing camps were the to love one another. Many believe his call for recount of 22 polling stations, which the court International observers said the poll was largely Coalition for Reform and Democracy (CORD) calm amongst his supporters contributed towards ordered. free, fair and credible, and that the electoral and The Jubilee Alliance. Prime Minister Raila preventing a recurrence of the 2007-08 post- commission had conducted its business in an open Odinga, who was backed by Vice President Chief Justice Willy Mutunga announced the and transparent manner. Kalonzo Musyoka, led the former and Deputy 14 decision, which was unanimous, saying the poll Muhumuza, Rodney (March 9, 2013). “Kenya vote Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta whose running winner gets 50.07 pct; loser was free and fair. He said that Mr. Kenyatta and challenges”http://bigstory.ap.org/article/kenya- mate was William Ruto, a former cabinet minister jubilation-after-slimmest-election-leads 16 The Independent Team (April 1, 2013). “Kenya headed the latter. 15 Mosoku, Geoffrey; Obala, Roselyne ( March 06 Supreme Court upholds Uhuru Kenyatta’s win” 17 BBC, (March 30, 2013). “Kenya Supreme Court 2013).“Machines failure IEBC’s biggest headache in (http://www.independent.co.ug/news/news/7624- upholds Uhuru Kenyatta election win” What is more, these alliances forged by Kenya's poll”http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000 kenya-supreme-court-upholds-uhuru-kenyatas-win) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21979298 main presidential contenders for the 2013 vote led 078763&story_title=n-a Kenyatta won 6,173,433 votes — 50.07 percent election violent outbursts, which led to both Mr. Ruto had been "validly elected" in a poll Figure 3.7: Head of the European Union’s — to Odinga's 5,340,546 — 43.3 percent. More human and property loss. carried out in a "free, fair, transparent and Election Observation Mission in Kenya than 12, 330,000 votes were cast, with a record credible" manner.17 turnout of 86 percent registered voters.14 Unsurprisingly, there were minor skirmishes in the wake of Kenyatta's victory which included Figure 3.6: Supporters of Raila Odinga outside Figure 3.5: Supporters of Uhuru Kenyatta youths setting tires on fire in the western city of the Courthouse furious over the verdict of the Supreme Court jubilate after the IEBC declares him president Kisumu, Odinga's home region. However, there was no report or confirmation of any major violence around Kenya.

The Government, security agencies, NGOs and CSOs had all been working around the clock to prevent a repeat of the postelection violence that brought Kenya to the edge of civil war five years ago, when many people were forced from their 3.3 The Threat of Ethnic Confrontation homes after President MwaiKibaki — a Kikuyu "The court has now spoken," Odinga said, "I wish like Kenyatta — was pronounced the winner over Ethnic rivalries fed 2007's fighting, which the president-elect and his team well." Raila Odinga, a Luo. damaged the image of the east African country, Odinga’s acceptance of defeat brought to a close the region's most powerful economy and a key weeks of uncertainty following the March 4 The electronic tallying of the votes was however 3.2 The Supreme Court upholds ally in the U.S.-led war against militant Islam in Kenya elections. marred by technical hitches, and this forced the Kenyatta’s victory the region. 15 IEBC to resort to manual tallying of the votes. The president-elect made a televised victory A repeat of the inter-tribal violence that bloodied Raila Odinga lodged an appeal to the Supreme speech, hours after the announcement, vowing to the 2007 elections lingered in the light of After the declaration of the results, Raila Odinga Court to contest the electoral outcome after work with and serve all Kenyans "without any mounting tension and verbal attacks in the 2013 issued a statement alleging multiple failures in the refusing to accept defeat, on the grounds that the discrimination whatsoever". elections. The death of about 116 people between election's integrity that he said has put Kenyan election was flawed and marred by technical August and September on Kenya’s coastline in democracy on trial. Refusing to accept defeat, problems citing “rampant illegality” in the The Independent Electoral and Boundaries tribal violence as the elections neared heightened Prime Minister Raila Odinga said the election electoral process.16 Commission (IEBC) had insisted that the vote was the tension and compounded the hostile political process experienced multiple failures as he credible, despite technical failures with an announced plans to petition the Supreme Court. Kenya's Supreme Court upheld Uhuru Kenyatta's electronic voter ID system and the vote counting climate. presidential election victory, rejecting several mechanism. Ethnic-based alliances also added to the rising Odinga, however, asked for calm and for Kenyans petitions challenging the vote after reviewing the tensions.The two main opposing camps were the to love one another. Many believe his call for recount of 22 polling stations, which the court International observers said the poll was largely Coalition for Reform and Democracy (CORD) calm amongst his supporters contributed towards ordered. free, fair and credible, and that the electoral and The Jubilee Alliance. Prime Minister Raila preventing a recurrence of the 2007-08 post- commission had conducted its business in an open Odinga, who was backed by Vice President Chief Justice Willy Mutunga announced the and transparent manner. Kalonzo Musyoka, led the former and Deputy 14 decision, which was unanimous, saying the poll Muhumuza, Rodney (March 9, 2013). “Kenya vote Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta whose running winner gets 50.07 pct; loser was free and fair. He said that Mr. Kenyatta and challenges”http://bigstory.ap.org/article/kenya- mate was William Ruto, a former cabinet minister jubilation-after-slimmest-election-leads 16 The Independent Team (April 1, 2013). “Kenya headed the latter. 15 Mosoku, Geoffrey; Obala, Roselyne ( March 06 Supreme Court upholds Uhuru Kenyatta’s win” 17 BBC, (March 30, 2013). “Kenya Supreme Court 2013).“Machines failure IEBC’s biggest headache in (http://www.independent.co.ug/news/news/7624- upholds Uhuru Kenyatta election win” What is more, these alliances forged by Kenya's poll”http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000 kenya-supreme-court-upholds-uhuru-kenyatas-win) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21979298 main presidential contenders for the 2013 vote led 078763&story_title=n-a to a rerun of a largely ethnic-based contest for of majority and minority parties in the national together ethnic groups, unwittingly rearranged political power since these new alliances were assembly; a more defined separation of powers Kenyans into ethnic blocs for the sake of political formed to a large extent around ethnic groups. between the three branches of government; advantage. Hence, instead of reducing the role of This raised the possibility of another ethnic electoral reforms; a restructured judiciary; tribalism in the elections, the constitution confrontation and tribal conflicts akin to the 2007- security sector and land reforms; affirmative inadvertently encouraged it. 08 aftermath since it bred the unhealthy “us action for under-represented groups; and an versus them” attitude. expanded bill of rights. Richard Dowden, who writes for African Arguments, part of the Guardian African Network, The head-on rivalry between Kenyatta, who hails Unlike the 2007, the new constitution established rightly noted that while the constitution prescribes from the predominant Kikuyu tribe, and Odinga, a a more independent electoral institution, and also democracy, transparency, good governance and Luo, intensified the threat of ethnic confrontation restructured the judiciary to make it more idealism, this election was all about personal and due to the age-old tension between the two tribes. autonomous. These measures were greatly tribal loyalties.18 influential in minimizing the specter of violence The commission was bent on making the entire Thus, while there were indications that there and ensured peaceful, transparent, free and fair 3.5 The Independent Electoral and process easy and friendly to all so as to engage would likely be much fewer incidents of violence, elections Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and include each and every Kenyan in the Kenya was much more fractured and a possible decisive process of choosing their leaders. With repeat of the inter-tribal violence that sullied the 3.4.1 The New Constitution encouraged The new constitution adopted by Kenyans in 2010 the help of Google, the commission launched an 2007 elections lurked around in the light of such Ethnic Alliance and Loyalty created among other things a more independent interactive map and SMS service for people to unhealthy ethnic-based alliances which electoral body. The Independent Electoral and effortlessly find their voter registration stations, compounded the typical election tension. Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in its noble quest registration status, and polling station on Election Kenya, like many other African countries, usually for peaceful and a highly transparent election Contributing to the tensions, both Kenyatta and Day. It also included a candidate finder. The map votes by ethnic alignments and loyalty without worked around the clock to put in place pragmatic Ruto were indicted by the International Criminal proved to be a useful resource for citizens and it any regard for issue-based manifestoes that the measures and policies. These measures were Court (ICC) in The Hague for their alleged role in served as a commendable model for other presidential aspirants and their parties come up geared towards significantly enhancing civic fomenting the election violence in the 2007 independent electoral commissions. with. This necessitated the forming of multi- participation and increasing voter turnout and general elections. ethnic alliances: Raila and his running mate, Vice- enthusiasm in the whole exercise. The commission employed this innovative President Kalonzo Musyoka, were arch rivals for 3.4 The Impact of the New Constitution technology to make the process exceedingly long time while Uhuru and his running mate Figure 3.8: IEBC Chairman Issack Hassan smooth, highly transparent and more credible. The election was also the first under the new William Ruto were in opposite camps during the The IEBC laid bare its core activities and constitution that was adopted in 2010. Among 2007 election. operations to the public by outlining its mission, other things, the new constitution was expected to The alliances formed were necessary because no vision and their constitutional mandate on their stave off a repetition of the bloodletting aftermath single ethnic-based support is large enough to captivating website before the elections. The of the 2007-08 elections. guarantee a candidate over 50% of the votes Commission also listed the following as their core The passage of the new constitution in August needed to clinch a victory due to the constitutional values on its website: Independence, Team Work, 2010 introduced sweeping changes to the political provision which states that a winner must have to Innovativeness, Professionalism, Integrity and 19 system, including: the creation of a new devolved obtain 50% plus 1 vote. Accountability. system of government that transfers authority for Thus, this idealistic and finely constructed The Commission’s website therefore afforded the many government functions from the national constitutional provision, despite its merits in Kenyan people the privilege to peer into what the 18 level to 47 newly-created counties; reduced uniting age-old political archrivals who hail from Dowden, Richard (January 31, 2013). “Kenya election: presidential powers; the introduction of a a bewildering dance of candidates and coalitions” different ethnic backgrounds and thus bringing http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jan/31/ken 19 http://www.iebc.or.ke/ bicameral system of government; the introduction ya-election to a rerun of a largely ethnic-based contest for of majority and minority parties in the national together ethnic groups, unwittingly rearranged political power since these new alliances were assembly; a more defined separation of powers Kenyans into ethnic blocs for the sake of political formed to a large extent around ethnic groups. between the three branches of government; advantage. Hence, instead of reducing the role of This raised the possibility of another ethnic electoral reforms; a restructured judiciary; tribalism in the elections, the constitution confrontation and tribal conflicts akin to the 2007- security sector and land reforms; affirmative inadvertently encouraged it. 08 aftermath since it bred the unhealthy “us action for under-represented groups; and an versus them” attitude. expanded bill of rights. Richard Dowden, who writes for African Arguments, part of the Guardian African Network, The head-on rivalry between Kenyatta, who hails Unlike the 2007, the new constitution established rightly noted that while the constitution prescribes from the predominant Kikuyu tribe, and Odinga, a a more independent electoral institution, and also democracy, transparency, good governance and Luo, intensified the threat of ethnic confrontation restructured the judiciary to make it more idealism, this election was all about personal and due to the age-old tension between the two tribes. autonomous. These measures were greatly tribal loyalties.18 influential in minimizing the specter of violence The commission was bent on making the entire Thus, while there were indications that there and ensured peaceful, transparent, free and fair 3.5 The Independent Electoral and process easy and friendly to all so as to engage would likely be much fewer incidents of violence, elections Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and include each and every Kenyan in the Kenya was much more fractured and a possible decisive process of choosing their leaders. With repeat of the inter-tribal violence that sullied the 3.4.1 The New Constitution encouraged The new constitution adopted by Kenyans in 2010 the help of Google, the commission launched an 2007 elections lurked around in the light of such Ethnic Alliance and Loyalty created among other things a more independent interactive map and SMS service for people to unhealthy ethnic-based alliances which electoral body. The Independent Electoral and effortlessly find their voter registration stations, compounded the typical election tension. Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in its noble quest registration status, and polling station on Election Kenya, like many other African countries, usually for peaceful and a highly transparent election Contributing to the tensions, both Kenyatta and Day. It also included a candidate finder. The map votes by ethnic alignments and loyalty without worked around the clock to put in place pragmatic Ruto were indicted by the International Criminal proved to be a useful resource for citizens and it any regard for issue-based manifestoes that the measures and policies. These measures were Court (ICC) in The Hague for their alleged role in served as a commendable model for other presidential aspirants and their parties come up geared towards significantly enhancing civic fomenting the election violence in the 2007 independent electoral commissions. with. This necessitated the forming of multi- participation and increasing voter turnout and general elections. ethnic alliances: Raila and his running mate, Vice- enthusiasm in the whole exercise. The commission employed this innovative President Kalonzo Musyoka, were arch rivals for 3.4 The Impact of the New Constitution technology to make the process exceedingly long time while Uhuru and his running mate Figure 3.8: IEBC Chairman Issack Hassan smooth, highly transparent and more credible. The election was also the first under the new William Ruto were in opposite camps during the The IEBC laid bare its core activities and constitution that was adopted in 2010. Among 2007 election. operations to the public by outlining its mission, other things, the new constitution was expected to The alliances formed were necessary because no vision and their constitutional mandate on their stave off a repetition of the bloodletting aftermath single ethnic-based support is large enough to captivating website before the elections. The of the 2007-08 elections. guarantee a candidate over 50% of the votes Commission also listed the following as their core The passage of the new constitution in August needed to clinch a victory due to the constitutional values on its website: Independence, Team Work, 2010 introduced sweeping changes to the political provision which states that a winner must have to Innovativeness, Professionalism, Integrity and 19 system, including: the creation of a new devolved obtain 50% plus 1 vote. Accountability. system of government that transfers authority for Thus, this idealistic and finely constructed The Commission’s website therefore afforded the many government functions from the national constitutional provision, despite its merits in Kenyan people the privilege to peer into what the 18 level to 47 newly-created counties; reduced uniting age-old political archrivals who hail from Dowden, Richard (January 31, 2013). “Kenya election: presidential powers; the introduction of a a bewildering dance of candidates and coalitions” different ethnic backgrounds and thus bringing http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jan/31/ken 19 http://www.iebc.or.ke/ bicameral system of government; the introduction ya-election IEBC will be involved in and what they intend to The IEBC however faced some difficulties in the polling centres in the towns had still not cast their The Elections Observation Group (ELOG), a achieve during the elections. Thus, voters were discharge of their mandate. Technical hitches that vote in the afternoon. domestic monitoring organization is a coalition of armed with vital information with which they marred polling and tallying of votes topped the 10 civil society organizations (CSOs) that could monitor, scrutinize and measure the list of challenges IEBC faced in conducting this Moreover, though the presiding officers were independently monitored the electoral and operations and performance of the commission in year’s General Election. In the urban polling provided with electronic gadgets, including political processes. The coalition includes The relation to their own objectives. stations in Central Isiolo, more than 75 per cent of mobile phones, to be used to relay presidential Centre for Governance and Development the machines failed to work, forcing the IEBC results to the National Tallying Centre at Bomas (CGD),The Constitution and Reform Education Moreover, the IEBC regularly provided updates of officials to switch to the manual system.20 The of Kenya, the systems failed only five hours after Consortium (CRECO) and The Federation of the elections on their website to keep voters well machines, known as Electronic Voter tallying had begun countrywide leading to Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA Kenya), just to informed. Reports on almost all the election Identification Devices (EVID), malfunctioned in massive delays in filing results. mention a few. proceedings – from registration through voting most parts of the country, which compelled the procedures to the Supreme Court ruling – were Figure 3.10: IEBC admits problems with vote ELOG trained 7240 citizen observers who were IEBC to revert to the use of manual register to tallying (left) timely made available on the commission’s identify voters. The most commonly reported stationed at randomly selected number of polling official website. causes for this failure were password issues and stations during the entire Election Day. They batteries, which died. reported on the conduct and the results of the Throughout the elections, the IEBC opened its election via SMS. doors to both ordinary Kenyans and election Figure 3.9: IEBC Officials revert to manual monitoring organizations to feel free in reporting identification of voters ELOG’s website, Facebook page and Twitter any potential or actual incidents of polling center served as good resources to follow for a bias or skirmishes. The commission was not only trustworthy report on the elections. alert to but also responded swiftly to polling 3.6 CSOs and NGOs in the Kenyan Another NGO that demonstrably showed station misunderstandings and skirmishes that is Elections highly characteristic of any tension-fraught major tremendous interest in the 2013 Kenyan Elections Throughout the elections, Civil Society elections. was NDI. NDI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan Organizations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental organization working to support and strengthen The commission is determined to win the trust of Organizations (NGOs) scampered and scurried democratic institutions worldwide through citizen Kenyans in all its undertakings and particularly in frantically across every corner of the country to participation, openness and accountability in the handling of electoral disputes. This is educate the people on the need to maintain peace government. It complemented the efforts of important in ensuring that disgruntled electorates before, during and after the elections. ELOG to improve its ability to function as a can place absolute confidence in the body to permanent, nonpartisan domestic election Apart from making good use of the radio and resolve matters fairly rather than resorting to monitoring body. NDI assisted ELOG to use television to send their message across, many violence or taking matters into their own hands. scientific methods and new technologies to The election officials switched to the manual CSOs and NGOs also targeted the numerous improve the speed and impact of its election method due to the breakdown in the Electronic social media aficionados through mainly Twitter The commission’s Facebook page was also monitoring. informative. It proved helpful for Kenyan’s active Voter Identification Devices (EVID) and this and Facebook and tailored their message to suit internet users and particularly the social media- resulted in late voting in most parts of the country. them. Besides assisting political parties to improve their inclined youth. The commission made sure that all Election officials took the flak from agents and understanding of the needs and priorities of Many civil society organizations (CSOs) and up-to-date information relevant to the elections observers when most of the registered voters at Kenyan citizens to develop representative, issue- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were was made available on their Facebook page so based policy platforms, NDI has also been helping doing everything within their power to ensure that voters would be well informed about the women and young people to overcome barriers to 20 Voting marred by chaos after machines hitch violent-free elections in the tension-filled general electoral process. People with unsettling questions political participation. http://www.africanewspost.com/2013/03/voting- elections. could also seek clarification from the commission marred-by-chaos-after-machines.html through their Facebook page. IEBC will be involved in and what they intend to The IEBC however faced some difficulties in the polling centres in the towns had still not cast their The Elections Observation Group (ELOG), a achieve during the elections. Thus, voters were discharge of their mandate. Technical hitches that vote in the afternoon. domestic monitoring organization is a coalition of armed with vital information with which they marred polling and tallying of votes topped the 10 civil society organizations (CSOs) that could monitor, scrutinize and measure the list of challenges IEBC faced in conducting this Moreover, though the presiding officers were independently monitored the electoral and operations and performance of the commission in year’s General Election. In the urban polling provided with electronic gadgets, including political processes. The coalition includes The relation to their own objectives. stations in Central Isiolo, more than 75 per cent of mobile phones, to be used to relay presidential Centre for Governance and Development the machines failed to work, forcing the IEBC results to the National Tallying Centre at Bomas (CGD),The Constitution and Reform Education Moreover, the IEBC regularly provided updates of officials to switch to the manual system.20 The of Kenya, the systems failed only five hours after Consortium (CRECO) and The Federation of the elections on their website to keep voters well machines, known as Electronic Voter tallying had begun countrywide leading to Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA Kenya), just to informed. Reports on almost all the election Identification Devices (EVID), malfunctioned in massive delays in filing results. mention a few. proceedings – from registration through voting most parts of the country, which compelled the procedures to the Supreme Court ruling – were Figure 3.10: IEBC admits problems with vote ELOG trained 7240 citizen observers who were IEBC to revert to the use of manual register to tallying (left) timely made available on the commission’s identify voters. The most commonly reported stationed at randomly selected number of polling official website. causes for this failure were password issues and stations during the entire Election Day. They batteries, which died. reported on the conduct and the results of the Throughout the elections, the IEBC opened its election via SMS. doors to both ordinary Kenyans and election Figure 3.9: IEBC Officials revert to manual monitoring organizations to feel free in reporting identification of voters ELOG’s website, Facebook page and Twitter any potential or actual incidents of polling center served as good resources to follow for a bias or skirmishes. The commission was not only trustworthy report on the elections. alert to but also responded swiftly to polling 3.6 CSOs and NGOs in the Kenyan Another NGO that demonstrably showed station misunderstandings and skirmishes that is Elections highly characteristic of any tension-fraught major tremendous interest in the 2013 Kenyan Elections Throughout the elections, Civil Society elections. was NDI. NDI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan Organizations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental organization working to support and strengthen The commission is determined to win the trust of Organizations (NGOs) scampered and scurried democratic institutions worldwide through citizen Kenyans in all its undertakings and particularly in frantically across every corner of the country to participation, openness and accountability in the handling of electoral disputes. This is educate the people on the need to maintain peace government. It complemented the efforts of important in ensuring that disgruntled electorates before, during and after the elections. ELOG to improve its ability to function as a can place absolute confidence in the body to permanent, nonpartisan domestic election Apart from making good use of the radio and resolve matters fairly rather than resorting to monitoring body. NDI assisted ELOG to use television to send their message across, many violence or taking matters into their own hands. scientific methods and new technologies to The election officials switched to the manual CSOs and NGOs also targeted the numerous improve the speed and impact of its election method due to the breakdown in the Electronic social media aficionados through mainly Twitter The commission’s Facebook page was also monitoring. informative. It proved helpful for Kenyan’s active Voter Identification Devices (EVID) and this and Facebook and tailored their message to suit internet users and particularly the social media- resulted in late voting in most parts of the country. them. Besides assisting political parties to improve their inclined youth. The commission made sure that all Election officials took the flak from agents and understanding of the needs and priorities of Many civil society organizations (CSOs) and up-to-date information relevant to the elections observers when most of the registered voters at Kenyan citizens to develop representative, issue- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were was made available on their Facebook page so based policy platforms, NDI has also been helping doing everything within their power to ensure that voters would be well informed about the women and young people to overcome barriers to 20 Voting marred by chaos after machines hitch violent-free elections in the tension-filled general electoral process. People with unsettling questions political participation. http://www.africanewspost.com/2013/03/voting- elections. could also seek clarification from the commission marred-by-chaos-after-machines.html through their Facebook page. 3.7 The Influence of Technology, Social the elections, including news updates, information democratic consolidation, the civil society phones in sending provocative messages was Media and Social Apps on candidates and campaigns, and prevalent organizations (CSOs), the media, the government, drastically curtailed if not completely eliminated. trends across the country. the Independent Electoral and Boundaries The independent electoral and boundaries Social Media, particularly Facebook and Twitter Kenyans and the world accessed live streams on commission (IEBC) likewise did a yeoman's job were extensively utilized by Kenyans. Due to its elections after Google and Storyful launched by playing a pivotal role in averting any awkward sheer affordability and easy accessibility, thanks Kenya Election 2013, a dedicated channel on Commission (IEBC) NGOs and the introduction tendency towards conflict by acting swiftly in to the proliferation of affordable smart phones in YouTube that curated election-related content of technological devices all contributed to the fulfilling their constitutional mandate. The IEBC the Kenya market (majority of Kenyans access across the video-streaming site. By maintaining a success of the Kenyan elections. did not discharge its duties with fear or favor, but internet through their phones), many Kenyans dedicated YouTube channel for the Kenya 2013 with the highest sense of professionalism, relied on Social media for news updates since it The Kenyan Elections Observation Group’s elections, news, views and grassroots citizen decorum, candor and remarkable evenhandedness. provided timely and up-to-the-minute news tit bits (ELOG) first-hand reportage on the conduct of reporting from the election trail was brought on especially issues related to the elections. voters and polling clerks by their well-trained together by Storyful in one convenient online Technology and the use of social media also Political candidates also used media to connect citizen observers contributed towards ensuring portal, with playlists capturing some of the most featured prominently in the elections. The Internet with their supporters, especially the youth. transparency. The transmission of the results of important democratic themes. and particularly social media were highly the election by these same observers via SMS also instrumental in ensuring that this election was one The 2013 Kenya national election has been Al Jazeera English also had a great interactive provided credible information to individuals, of the most transparent elections in recent years in described as the most hi-tech in the history of dashboard with candidate information, organizations, institutions and other stakeholders the political history of Kenya. Many Kenyans Kenya elections and by extension African boundaries, its interactive SMS 'Speak' platform in the electoral process. followed election proceedings keenly and were elections. Technology and social media were that allowed citizen voices to be heard, and also quick to draw the attention of people on social utilized in an unprecedented scale. The influence The excellent role played by the Kenyan media in introduced an interactive poll data. media to any polling clerk bias or suspicion of of Technology and Social Media also necessitated ensuring smooth and transparent elections cannot electoral fraud. The social media itself was the introduction of many election-related apps that be gainsaid. Effective civic education through Ushahidi, the citizen-reporting organization also thoroughly monitored by the government in went a very long way to enhance the electoral both the print and broadcast media went a long launched the Uchaguzi project. The purpose of the collaboration with technological firms to ensure process. way to enlighten the voting public on the 'Dos' project was “putting citizens back at the heart of that the platform was free from any inflammatory the electoral process." Uchaguzi, which means and 'Don'ts' of voting, as well as the dangers and They included games and SMS-based apps which postings and incendiary comments that could "elections" in Swahili, served as a platform that penalties of electoral malpractices. This encouraged a peaceful election process, and exacerbate tensions. enabled citizens to monitor the electoral process undoubtedly contributed to the successful crowd-sourced incident reporting sites which by reporting issues such as intimidation, hate elections in no small way as people were Kenyans on Twitter (#KOT) judiciously utilized also proved important throughout the elections, speech, and polling clerk bias among others. repeatedly sensitized on the importance of social media to address bad press and curtail with developers reaching out to include all political tolerance, the stoking effects of vitriolic sensational reportage by especially the foreign segments of society across Kenya. Some of the There were lots of candidate finder sites for the speeches, and supremely the need to safeguard, media. A case in point is the CNN’s infamous apps were; The Google Elections Hub, Kenya Kenya election. One that seemed to have attracted protect and maintain the priceless national peace report that armed militiamen in the Rift Valley Election Youtube Channel, Election Kenya Portal, most attention is Wenyenchi that also had a and unity they have striven hard to achieve so as were preparing for war. Kenyans on Twitter Track All, The IEBC’s interactive map and The mobile site and an Android app. It provided a to prevent another unnecessary mayhem. (#KOT) did not hesitate to condemn the Election Thief App Game, among others. good overview of political candidates and an seemingly irresponsible reportage on particularly electoral boundary-finder. The tireless efforts by the Kenyan government, The Kenya Elections Hub was launched by the National Cohesion and Integration Twitter, forcing the giant media house to Google Kenya to facilitate the dissemination of 3.8 What made the elections successful? Commission (NCIC), and the ministry of withdraw the report from the airwaves and information related to the country’s elections. The information in purging both the traditional and subsequently remove it from their website. Hub operated via an online portal where all Apart from the new constitution that created social media of any hate and dangerous speech Most importantly, the youth especially, made very members of society, whether in a personal or highly autonomous political structures essential also bore much fruit. Vitriolic speeches were good use of Facebook and Twitter to appeal to official capacity, accessed information regarding for free and fair elections and particularly vital for significantly minimized and the use of the mobile their colleagues and fellow Kenyans to exercise 3.7 The Influence of Technology, Social the elections, including news updates, information democratic consolidation, the civil society phones in sending provocative messages was Media and Social Apps on candidates and campaigns, and prevalent organizations (CSOs), the media, the government, drastically curtailed if not completely eliminated. trends across the country. the Independent Electoral and Boundaries The independent electoral and boundaries Social Media, particularly Facebook and Twitter Kenyans and the world accessed live streams on commission (IEBC) likewise did a yeoman's job were extensively utilized by Kenyans. Due to its elections after Google and Storyful launched by playing a pivotal role in averting any awkward sheer affordability and easy accessibility, thanks Kenya Election 2013, a dedicated channel on Commission (IEBC) NGOs and the introduction tendency towards conflict by acting swiftly in to the proliferation of affordable smart phones in YouTube that curated election-related content of technological devices all contributed to the fulfilling their constitutional mandate. The IEBC the Kenya market (majority of Kenyans access across the video-streaming site. By maintaining a success of the Kenyan elections. did not discharge its duties with fear or favor, but internet through their phones), many Kenyans dedicated YouTube channel for the Kenya 2013 with the highest sense of professionalism, relied on Social media for news updates since it The Kenyan Elections Observation Group’s elections, news, views and grassroots citizen decorum, candor and remarkable evenhandedness. provided timely and up-to-the-minute news tit bits (ELOG) first-hand reportage on the conduct of reporting from the election trail was brought on especially issues related to the elections. voters and polling clerks by their well-trained together by Storyful in one convenient online Technology and the use of social media also Political candidates also used media to connect citizen observers contributed towards ensuring portal, with playlists capturing some of the most featured prominently in the elections. The Internet with their supporters, especially the youth. transparency. The transmission of the results of important democratic themes. and particularly social media were highly the election by these same observers via SMS also instrumental in ensuring that this election was one The 2013 Kenya national election has been Al Jazeera English also had a great interactive provided credible information to individuals, of the most transparent elections in recent years in described as the most hi-tech in the history of dashboard with candidate information, organizations, institutions and other stakeholders the political history of Kenya. Many Kenyans Kenya elections and by extension African boundaries, its interactive SMS 'Speak' platform in the electoral process. followed election proceedings keenly and were elections. Technology and social media were that allowed citizen voices to be heard, and also quick to draw the attention of people on social utilized in an unprecedented scale. The influence The excellent role played by the Kenyan media in introduced an interactive poll data. media to any polling clerk bias or suspicion of of Technology and Social Media also necessitated ensuring smooth and transparent elections cannot electoral fraud. The social media itself was the introduction of many election-related apps that be gainsaid. Effective civic education through Ushahidi, the citizen-reporting organization also thoroughly monitored by the government in went a very long way to enhance the electoral both the print and broadcast media went a long launched the Uchaguzi project. The purpose of the collaboration with technological firms to ensure process. way to enlighten the voting public on the 'Dos' project was “putting citizens back at the heart of that the platform was free from any inflammatory the electoral process." Uchaguzi, which means and 'Don'ts' of voting, as well as the dangers and They included games and SMS-based apps which postings and incendiary comments that could "elections" in Swahili, served as a platform that penalties of electoral malpractices. This encouraged a peaceful election process, and exacerbate tensions. enabled citizens to monitor the electoral process undoubtedly contributed to the successful crowd-sourced incident reporting sites which by reporting issues such as intimidation, hate elections in no small way as people were Kenyans on Twitter (#KOT) judiciously utilized also proved important throughout the elections, speech, and polling clerk bias among others. repeatedly sensitized on the importance of social media to address bad press and curtail with developers reaching out to include all political tolerance, the stoking effects of vitriolic sensational reportage by especially the foreign segments of society across Kenya. Some of the There were lots of candidate finder sites for the speeches, and supremely the need to safeguard, media. A case in point is the CNN’s infamous apps were; The Google Elections Hub, Kenya Kenya election. One that seemed to have attracted protect and maintain the priceless national peace report that armed militiamen in the Rift Valley Election Youtube Channel, Election Kenya Portal, most attention is Wenyenchi that also had a and unity they have striven hard to achieve so as were preparing for war. Kenyans on Twitter Track All, The IEBC’s interactive map and The mobile site and an Android app. It provided a to prevent another unnecessary mayhem. (#KOT) did not hesitate to condemn the Election Thief App Game, among others. good overview of political candidates and an seemingly irresponsible reportage on particularly electoral boundary-finder. The tireless efforts by the Kenyan government, The Kenya Elections Hub was launched by the National Cohesion and Integration Twitter, forcing the giant media house to Google Kenya to facilitate the dissemination of 3.8 What made the elections successful? Commission (NCIC), and the ministry of withdraw the report from the airwaves and information related to the country’s elections. The information in purging both the traditional and subsequently remove it from their website. Hub operated via an online portal where all Apart from the new constitution that created social media of any hate and dangerous speech Most importantly, the youth especially, made very members of society, whether in a personal or highly autonomous political structures essential also bore much fruit. Vitriolic speeches were good use of Facebook and Twitter to appeal to official capacity, accessed information regarding for free and fair elections and particularly vital for significantly minimized and the use of the mobile their colleagues and fellow Kenyans to exercise restraint in their speech and conduct in order to especially so in the case where the defeated The West had made it clear before the vote that it especially, Social Media is eroding the dominant safeguard and maintain peace and unity. CORD party led by Odinga contested the integrity would not welcome a President Kenyatta. Britain influence of the traditional media in churning out of the voting and counting process in the court. has said it would have only essential contact with news and is gaining a great reputation for a cheap Brief soothing messages like “let’s give peace a Therefore, the task of building a united Kenya and Kenyatta as president. However, US president and timely access to relevant information. chance”, “peace is paramount”, “We have only breaking down the tribal rivalries will be Barack Obama, Britain Prime Minister David one country, let us protect it” “vote wisely, vote extremely daunting for the new administration. Cameron and French President Francois Hollande This is probably due to the high accessibility to for peace” among others were commonplace on The ethnic divisions remain a key barrier to all congratulated Kenyatta after the Supreme the Internet and the increase in the number of Twitter and Facebook pages of many Kenyans. Kenya’s economic takeoff and certainly needs to Court upheld his victory. Internet users in Kenya. Kenyan Internet users increased by 95.63 % in 2011 showing a All the above measures and actions went a long be a priority on the new government’s scale of The West’s seemingly disappointment with the tremendous growth in the country’s technology way to ensure relative calm, peace and success in preference if it is actually committed to building a election of a man accused of playing a direct role fuelled by high number of mobile phone usage, the Kenya elections, thereby partly salvaging the better Kenya. in the unfortunate 2007 post-election clashes can reveals the Communication Commission of once-glorious image of the East African country Furthermore, the country is bound to be have serious political and economic implications Kenya, CCK, 2011/2012-sector report. that was sadly but badly dented in the country’s challenged by the intervention of the International for the country. The cordial relationship that 2007-08 elections. Criminal Court (ICC). Both the president-elect exists between Kenya and the West could be The Communication Commission of Kenya also reports in the first quarter of the 2012/13 3.9 Challenges Ahead and his vice face charges of crimes against affected. humanity alleged by the International Criminal Financial Year (July – September 2012) that the The bold election of Uhuru Kenyatta by the Though the elections are over, Kenya still faces Court (ICC) for their conduct in the 2007 post- number of Internet subscriptions in Kenya grew to Kenyans seems to emphasize that Kenyans know many challenges. One of the major challenges the election violence. Kenyatta faces trial in July at 8.5 million compared to 7.7 million users in the what is good for them and would not want to be new president, Kenyatta and his team, will face is the International Criminal Court over allegations previous quarter representing a 10.2 percent dictated to by Western powers. Once the majority to rescue Kenya from the dungeon of economic he orchestrated the murder, forcible deportation, increase. In total, the estimated number of Internet has voted for the man they believe in, it is almost doldrums in which the country finds itself. The persecution and rape of Odinga's supporters in the users stood at 13.53 million. The use of Internet certain that they will stick with him through thick Economic Survey 2012 released by the Kenya aftermath of the 2007 vote. has been on a rising trend, with the figure and thin to propel their country to the height of National Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of showing that with 34.2 per cent of the population Kenyatta, as president, may have to spend the first political stability and economic prosperity with or Planning showed that the economy slowed from accessing the Internet mainly via the mobile half of his presidency in a courtroom in The without Western support. 5.8 per cent to 4.4 per cent last year.21 There phone. Hague since the trial could take years. Thus, the should be a major focus on the economy new leaders will have to find a way to fulfill their In the quarterly statistics report for the first especially job creation and other aspects of enormous task of governing the country and quarter of the 2012/13 Financial Year (July – development like infrastructure development, an fulfilling their campaign promises without being September 2012), released by Communications issue that received significant attention during the distracted by the expected pressure and nudging Commission of Kenya (CCK), the market had elections campaign. 4.0 THE ROLE OF SOCIAL by the ICC. MEDIA IN THE 2013 KENYAN 30.4 million mobile subscribers as at 30th Aside economic challenges, it seems the new September 2012 up from 29.7 million in the three There is also a ‘bad blood’ created by the administration will take over a very polarized and ELECTIONS months preceding July 2012. Kenya now boasts a intervention of foreign governments. The United fractious country due to the slim margin of victory mobile penetration of 77.2 per cent. This growth States previously warned of "consequences" if Social media is gradually eroding the and an already-existing ethnic division. This is can also be attributed to competitive tariffs, Kenyatta wins. The United States, Britain and the monopolistic influence of both the print and special offers and promotions offered to

European Union gave Kenya's new political era a broadcast media, namely radio and television, in 22 21 “Tough job ahead for Kenya’s next president as subscribers by operators. Economic Growth Slows to 4.4 per cent” cold reception. After Kenyatta was declared as the airwaves of Kenya. Gone are the days when (http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/Tough-job- president-elect, all released statements the radio, television and newspapers served as the ahead-for-Kenya-next-president/-/2558/1409028/- congratulating the Kenyan people but none only channel for the dissemination of information /view/printVersion/-/13foypmz/-/index.html) mentioned Kenyatta by name. not only in Kenya but the whole world. In Kenya 22 Mobile penetration in the country continues to increase restraint in their speech and conduct in order to especially so in the case where the defeated The West had made it clear before the vote that it especially, Social Media is eroding the dominant safeguard and maintain peace and unity. CORD party led by Odinga contested the integrity would not welcome a President Kenyatta. Britain influence of the traditional media in churning out of the voting and counting process in the court. has said it would have only essential contact with news and is gaining a great reputation for a cheap Brief soothing messages like “let’s give peace a Therefore, the task of building a united Kenya and Kenyatta as president. However, US president and timely access to relevant information. chance”, “peace is paramount”, “We have only breaking down the tribal rivalries will be Barack Obama, Britain Prime Minister David one country, let us protect it” “vote wisely, vote extremely daunting for the new administration. Cameron and French President Francois Hollande This is probably due to the high accessibility to for peace” among others were commonplace on The ethnic divisions remain a key barrier to all congratulated Kenyatta after the Supreme the Internet and the increase in the number of Twitter and Facebook pages of many Kenyans. Kenya’s economic takeoff and certainly needs to Court upheld his victory. Internet users in Kenya. Kenyan Internet users increased by 95.63 % in 2011 showing a All the above measures and actions went a long be a priority on the new government’s scale of The West’s seemingly disappointment with the tremendous growth in the country’s technology way to ensure relative calm, peace and success in preference if it is actually committed to building a election of a man accused of playing a direct role fuelled by high number of mobile phone usage, the Kenya elections, thereby partly salvaging the better Kenya. in the unfortunate 2007 post-election clashes can reveals the Communication Commission of once-glorious image of the East African country Furthermore, the country is bound to be have serious political and economic implications Kenya, CCK, 2011/2012-sector report. that was sadly but badly dented in the country’s challenged by the intervention of the International for the country. The cordial relationship that 2007-08 elections. Criminal Court (ICC). Both the president-elect exists between Kenya and the West could be The Communication Commission of Kenya also reports in the first quarter of the 2012/13 3.9 Challenges Ahead and his vice face charges of crimes against affected. humanity alleged by the International Criminal Financial Year (July – September 2012) that the The bold election of Uhuru Kenyatta by the Though the elections are over, Kenya still faces Court (ICC) for their conduct in the 2007 post- number of Internet subscriptions in Kenya grew to Kenyans seems to emphasize that Kenyans know many challenges. One of the major challenges the election violence. Kenyatta faces trial in July at 8.5 million compared to 7.7 million users in the what is good for them and would not want to be new president, Kenyatta and his team, will face is the International Criminal Court over allegations previous quarter representing a 10.2 percent dictated to by Western powers. Once the majority to rescue Kenya from the dungeon of economic he orchestrated the murder, forcible deportation, increase. In total, the estimated number of Internet has voted for the man they believe in, it is almost doldrums in which the country finds itself. The persecution and rape of Odinga's supporters in the users stood at 13.53 million. The use of Internet certain that they will stick with him through thick Economic Survey 2012 released by the Kenya aftermath of the 2007 vote. has been on a rising trend, with the figure and thin to propel their country to the height of National Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of showing that with 34.2 per cent of the population Kenyatta, as president, may have to spend the first political stability and economic prosperity with or Planning showed that the economy slowed from accessing the Internet mainly via the mobile half of his presidency in a courtroom in The without Western support. 5.8 per cent to 4.4 per cent last year.21 There phone. Hague since the trial could take years. Thus, the should be a major focus on the economy new leaders will have to find a way to fulfill their In the quarterly statistics report for the first especially job creation and other aspects of enormous task of governing the country and quarter of the 2012/13 Financial Year (July – development like infrastructure development, an fulfilling their campaign promises without being September 2012), released by Communications issue that received significant attention during the distracted by the expected pressure and nudging Commission of Kenya (CCK), the market had elections campaign. 4.0 THE ROLE OF SOCIAL by the ICC. MEDIA IN THE 2013 KENYAN 30.4 million mobile subscribers as at 30th Aside economic challenges, it seems the new September 2012 up from 29.7 million in the three There is also a ‘bad blood’ created by the administration will take over a very polarized and ELECTIONS months preceding July 2012. Kenya now boasts a intervention of foreign governments. The United fractious country due to the slim margin of victory mobile penetration of 77.2 per cent. This growth States previously warned of "consequences" if Social media is gradually eroding the and an already-existing ethnic division. This is can also be attributed to competitive tariffs, Kenyatta wins. The United States, Britain and the monopolistic influence of both the print and special offers and promotions offered to

European Union gave Kenya's new political era a broadcast media, namely radio and television, in 22 21 “Tough job ahead for Kenya’s next president as subscribers by operators. Economic Growth Slows to 4.4 per cent” cold reception. After Kenyatta was declared as the airwaves of Kenya. Gone are the days when (http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/Tough-job- president-elect, all released statements the radio, television and newspapers served as the ahead-for-Kenya-next-president/-/2558/1409028/- congratulating the Kenyan people but none only channel for the dissemination of information /view/printVersion/-/13foypmz/-/index.html) mentioned Kenyatta by name. not only in Kenya but the whole world. In Kenya 22 Mobile penetration in the country continues to increase Many people believe that Social Media was less country braced itself through the general from the traditional media to the modern social Social media uses web-based technologies to turn utilized in the turbulent 2007-08 Kenyan elections. In the lead up to the general elections, media, particularly Facebook, for news feed. He communication into interactive dialogues." 25 elections. Therefore, some analysts conclude that Kenyans reexamined the power of political said: it is not partly to be blamed for the violence that choice, and the country acted as a laboratory for Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein define destabilized Kenya and soiled its image in 2007. how social media can break up the country by “I no longer rely much on the local media when it social media as "a group of Internet-based Web-enabled mobile phones were too costly back churning out untruths and fuelling tensions with comes to political news in the country because applications that build on the ideological and then and were mostly used by the rich and the snide tribal remarks or make up the country by they are skewed in their news delivery, and technological foundations of Web 2.0, which divided along ethnic lines just like your everyday allows the creation and exchange of user- elites. Ordinary Kenyans mostly relied on the helping ease and balance transitions of power in 26 popular traditional media, newspapers and radio, demanding times. villager. If I want news about ODM (Orange generated content." A common thread running for information. Others also think it is somewhat Democratic Movement) or TNA (The National through all definitions of social media is a Since smart phones are now affordable and access Alliance), for instance, I simply check their blending of technology and social interaction for culpable despite its limited use in the events 24 leading up to the post-election violence. to the Internet is on an all-time high, it is no respective face book pages or websites.” the co-creation of value. (Morgan et al, 2010) wonder that social media featured prominently in “I get real time news about their events rather Put simply, Social media refers to the means of But there has been a great change in the landscape the 2013 Kenyan elections. than waiting for the nine o’clock news or the interactions among people in which they create, since 2008. Web-enabled technological devices Social media - tweets, tags, pokes, posts, upload – following morning for a newspaper,” he added. share, and exchange information and ideas in are no longer the preserve of the rich. More and can carry both peaceful and hateful messages. It virtual communities and networks.27 It depends on more people are now enjoying the use of smart has the potential to divide and to unite. This begs Internet based interest concerning the elections mobile and web-based technologies to create phones and tablets. “On buses, in restaurants, in the question: Would the influence of social media were very extensive, according to Google. The highly interactive platforms through which churches, and even in rural areas, it is not unusual in the Kenyan elections bring any positive change company’s Zeitgeist (a tool that aggregates search individuals and communities share, cocreate, to see smart phones and tablets on display and in to Kenya? queries Google receives) reported that, the discuss, and modify user-generated content. (H. use,” noted Frederick Nzwili, who is a country’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Kietzmann, Jan; Kristopher Hermkens, 2011).28 Correspondent for The Christian Science Even though the use of social media incredibly Commission (IEBC) topped the list of the most 23 Monitor. This phenomenon is attributable to the spiked, especially among politically active youths, popular search words in Kenya across 2012, and Social Media, from the least common ones like abolition of the 16% sales tax on mobile phones the effect of social media was not clear, Frederick hinted that all the major Kenyan political flickr, digg, upcoming, Technorati, MySpace, to and the influx of cheap mobile phones into the Nzwili observes. “Quick access to information, candidates also had a strong presence across the the most popular ones like Youtube, Facebook market which has given most Kenyans, especially and instant interaction, is something new”, He various social media outlets. This was an and Twitter can either have positive effects or the youth, easy access to mobile phones and by added. It therefore remained to be seen how well indication that many members of the Kenyan disastrous consequences if not properly monitored extension access to internet and social media since Kenyans would handle this new media especially society were increasingly turning to the Internet it is an open secret that most Kenyans access the in such a critical election period. for election-based information. 25 Nigel Morgan; Graham Jones; Ant Hodges (November internet via their phones. 8, 2010). “The Complete Guide To Social Media; From With tension running high and candidates fiercely 4.1 The Power of Social Media the Social media Guys” It therefore comes as no surprise that Kenyans battling it out at the hustings, nothing could 26 Kaplan, Andreas M. and Michael Haenlein (2010), profoundly relied on social media to have a surpass the role that social media played in According to Morgan et al, “Social media are "Users of the world, unite! The challenges and glimpse of the unfolding political events as the swaying people’s opinions about the candidates media for social interaction, using highly opportunities of social media," Business Horizons, 53 and their political parties. The advent of social accessible and scalable publishing techniques. (1), 59 – 68 (http://www.cck.go.ke/mobile/news/index.html?nws=/ media is slowly sidelining the mean mainstream 27 Ahlqvist, Toni; Bäck, A., Halonen, M., Heinonen, S news/2013/Mobile_penetration.html) media in Kenya, as many people are now relying (2008). "Social media roadmaps exploring the futures

on Facebook posts and pages, twitter and other triggered by social media". VTT Tiedotteita - Valtion (2454): 13. 23 Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus Nzwili, Frederick (February 27, 2013). “Will Twitter social media sites for news. 28 H. Kietzmann, Jan; Kristopher Hermkens (2011). make an impact in Kenya’s elections next week?” "Social media? Get serious! Understanding the functional http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2013/0227/ John Omondi, a Facebook user, was just one of 24 building blocks of social media". Business Horizons 54: Will-Twitter-make-an-impact-in-Kenya-s-elections-next- several Kenyans who had unreservedly switched Apollo, Joab “KENYA: The Power of Social Media in week Kenyan Election”http://m.iq4news.com/node/71493 241–251. Many people believe that Social Media was less country braced itself through the general from the traditional media to the modern social Social media uses web-based technologies to turn utilized in the turbulent 2007-08 Kenyan elections. In the lead up to the general elections, media, particularly Facebook, for news feed. He communication into interactive dialogues." 25 elections. Therefore, some analysts conclude that Kenyans reexamined the power of political said: it is not partly to be blamed for the violence that choice, and the country acted as a laboratory for Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein define destabilized Kenya and soiled its image in 2007. how social media can break up the country by “I no longer rely much on the local media when it social media as "a group of Internet-based Web-enabled mobile phones were too costly back churning out untruths and fuelling tensions with comes to political news in the country because applications that build on the ideological and then and were mostly used by the rich and the snide tribal remarks or make up the country by they are skewed in their news delivery, and technological foundations of Web 2.0, which divided along ethnic lines just like your everyday allows the creation and exchange of user- elites. Ordinary Kenyans mostly relied on the helping ease and balance transitions of power in 26 popular traditional media, newspapers and radio, demanding times. villager. If I want news about ODM (Orange generated content." A common thread running for information. Others also think it is somewhat Democratic Movement) or TNA (The National through all definitions of social media is a Since smart phones are now affordable and access Alliance), for instance, I simply check their blending of technology and social interaction for culpable despite its limited use in the events 24 leading up to the post-election violence. to the Internet is on an all-time high, it is no respective face book pages or websites.” the co-creation of value. (Morgan et al, 2010) wonder that social media featured prominently in “I get real time news about their events rather Put simply, Social media refers to the means of But there has been a great change in the landscape the 2013 Kenyan elections. than waiting for the nine o’clock news or the interactions among people in which they create, since 2008. Web-enabled technological devices Social media - tweets, tags, pokes, posts, upload – following morning for a newspaper,” he added. share, and exchange information and ideas in are no longer the preserve of the rich. More and can carry both peaceful and hateful messages. It virtual communities and networks.27 It depends on more people are now enjoying the use of smart has the potential to divide and to unite. This begs Internet based interest concerning the elections mobile and web-based technologies to create phones and tablets. “On buses, in restaurants, in the question: Would the influence of social media were very extensive, according to Google. The highly interactive platforms through which churches, and even in rural areas, it is not unusual in the Kenyan elections bring any positive change company’s Zeitgeist (a tool that aggregates search individuals and communities share, cocreate, to see smart phones and tablets on display and in to Kenya? queries Google receives) reported that, the discuss, and modify user-generated content. (H. use,” noted Frederick Nzwili, who is a country’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Kietzmann, Jan; Kristopher Hermkens, 2011).28 Correspondent for The Christian Science Even though the use of social media incredibly Commission (IEBC) topped the list of the most 23 Monitor. This phenomenon is attributable to the spiked, especially among politically active youths, popular search words in Kenya across 2012, and Social Media, from the least common ones like abolition of the 16% sales tax on mobile phones the effect of social media was not clear, Frederick hinted that all the major Kenyan political flickr, digg, upcoming, Technorati, MySpace, to and the influx of cheap mobile phones into the Nzwili observes. “Quick access to information, candidates also had a strong presence across the the most popular ones like Youtube, Facebook market which has given most Kenyans, especially and instant interaction, is something new”, He various social media outlets. This was an and Twitter can either have positive effects or the youth, easy access to mobile phones and by added. It therefore remained to be seen how well indication that many members of the Kenyan disastrous consequences if not properly monitored extension access to internet and social media since Kenyans would handle this new media especially society were increasingly turning to the Internet it is an open secret that most Kenyans access the in such a critical election period. for election-based information. 25 Nigel Morgan; Graham Jones; Ant Hodges (November internet via their phones. 8, 2010). “The Complete Guide To Social Media; From With tension running high and candidates fiercely 4.1 The Power of Social Media the Social media Guys” It therefore comes as no surprise that Kenyans battling it out at the hustings, nothing could 26 Kaplan, Andreas M. and Michael Haenlein (2010), profoundly relied on social media to have a surpass the role that social media played in According to Morgan et al, “Social media are "Users of the world, unite! The challenges and glimpse of the unfolding political events as the swaying people’s opinions about the candidates media for social interaction, using highly opportunities of social media," Business Horizons, 53 and their political parties. The advent of social accessible and scalable publishing techniques. (1), 59 – 68 (http://www.cck.go.ke/mobile/news/index.html?nws=/ media is slowly sidelining the mean mainstream 27 Ahlqvist, Toni; Bäck, A., Halonen, M., Heinonen, S news/2013/Mobile_penetration.html) media in Kenya, as many people are now relying (2008). "Social media roadmaps exploring the futures on Facebook posts and pages, twitter and other triggered by social media". VTT Tiedotteita - Valtion (2454): 13. 23 Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus Nzwili, Frederick (February 27, 2013). “Will Twitter social media sites for news. 28 H. Kietzmann, Jan; Kristopher Hermkens (2011). make an impact in Kenya’s elections next week?” "Social media? Get serious! Understanding the functional http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2013/0227/ John Omondi, a Facebook user, was just one of 24 building blocks of social media". Business Horizons 54: Will-Twitter-make-an-impact-in-Kenya-s-elections-next- several Kenyans who had unreservedly switched Apollo, Joab “KENYA: The Power of Social Media in week Kenyan Election”http://m.iq4news.com/node/71493 241–251. and regulated. Social media has the inherent virtual social platform (Nielson, 2012)29, it is high According to this same report released in October million (Sh1.8 billion) and $12 million (Sh1.1 potential to reach thousands of audience within a time its role in the political landscape is 2012 by the CCK, while internet usage via billion) respectively. matter of seconds easily and faster than even the investigated. traditional computers grew by 19.2% to 7.7 radio and television. million users, mobile phone internet usage grew The importance of social media in occasionally by 1.7% to 29.7 million users. This clearly During critical times of elections, Social media disseminating information on the state of affairs accounts for the increase in the people using can provide another avenue where unscrupulous and thereby sensitizing the public on the activities social media in Kenya. politicians and supporters can spread hate speech, concerning the management of state resources, the propagate falsehood, and insidiously incite their action and inaction of state actors and the The reduction in the cost of mobile phones members to violence. direction of the country can never be discounted. occasioned by the abolition of the sales tax on Figure 4.1: Map showing Kenya and its mobile phones has benefited Kenyan youth geographical boundaries Since Ethnic animosities is almost already rooted Indeed, Social Media is a powerful tool, a double- immensely. Many of them have been able to in the political history of Kenya like many other edged sword that has the potential to throw a acquire cell phones regardless of their economic African countries, the canker can be aggravated wrench into the electoral process by speeding up standing. by the proliferation of social media which eases and spreading wide the transmission of and hastens the transmission of hate and vitriolic provocative messages, or enhance the electoral “My phone is my source of news and any speeches and can incite millions of audiences to process by uncovering electoral fraud or information I need,” said Anne Kirugu, a take action within seconds. This was previously manipulation, exposing corruption and making University student.30 impossible in the recent past when technology relevant institutions and officials more was limited to radio and television. accountable. “Whenever I want to know what’s happening in the country, I simply log in to face book. Most

To be fair, Social Media can nevertheless play a 4.2 The increase in mobile phones and people, especially this election period, provide vital role in exposing potentially violent the upsurge of Social Media in Kenya updates about what people say in rallies. They Figure 4.2: Social Media in Kenya – Facebook, comments and actions before they get out of hand. even post pictures. To me it’s an idea whose time Twitter, Blogs- on a rising trend The new media spawns a chain of genuine and The upsurge in the number of people using social has come,” said Kimaru Maritim, a high school unbiased news reports, which is aided by the media in Kenya is attributed to the abolition of teacher. contribution of countless selfless individuals, and 16% sales tax on mobile phones. This means most It is estimated that a high percentage of web is therefore casting the traditional mainstream Kenyans, especially the youth, easily access the access in Kenya is through mobile phones. A media who are sometimes prejudiced in their internet through their cell phones. In 2007, there study released by a Kenya-based research firm, reporting due to their ideological stance and were just 8 million mobile users. Now, there are Consumer Insight, on mobile telephone use political leanings to the periphery. more than 30 million. The 2nd quarter report of among East African youth shows that they spend 2011/2012, released by The Communication Social media is gradually outpacing the billions of shillings monthly on airtime purchase. Commission of Kenya (CCK) indicates that the The rate at which the popularity of social media, mainstream media in terms of churning out up-to- The study covered 3,600 youth aged between 7-24 number of Internet users has grown from 8.89 mainly blogs, Facebook and Twitter is increasing the-minute news. Whilst the radio and television in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. According to the million users in 2010 to 17.38 million as at in Kenya is remarkable. With the explosion in have specific times for news program, social study, Kenyan youth topped the list with a December 2012, thanks to the proliferation of social media that has occurred since the last media provides a 24-hour official and unofficial monthly expenditure of $38 million (Sh3.4 affordable cell phones through which most elections in 2007/08, the recent 2013 Kenyan news channel. As more and more people billion), followed by Uganda and Tanzania at $20 Kenyans access the internet. The internet elections was brought to the world, in close to real gradually switch to this new media for penetration (per population) is incredibly 28.0% time, via social media for the first time ever. information and spend more time on this new according to www.internetworldstats.com. The bloggers especially solidified their presence 30 Apollo, Joab “KENYA: The Power of Social Media in 29 "State of the media: The social media report 2012". Kenyan Election” http://m.iq4news.com/node/71493 in Kenya during the elections and were giving the Featured Insights, Global, Media + Entertainment. local media houses a stiff competition in terms of December 2012. While this number represents a that have made significant contributions in Kenya, with the rest of the world where in most cases 34 churning out news. A number of Kenyan media mere 5 percent of the population, nearly 20 SocialPRO said. illiteracy has been reduced to its barest minimum. houses responded well by opening up micro- percent of Kenyans online use Facebook, ranking For instance, the country is ranked 135th out of The documentary, to be dubbed “The Social blogging platforms such as Facebook pages and Kenya 67th in global Facebook engagement. 194 countries in the world in terms of Literacy Kenyans”, will interview social media icons, Twitter Handles for their programmes to enable Rates. developers, bloggers, artists, industry analysts and their readers get news in real time. For instance, Kenya is named as the country with the second users. KTN (Kenya Television Network) uses the most active twitter users in Africa by “How People who lack basic reading and writing skills Africa Tweets”, a research by UK based media find it extremely difficult to make good use of Twitter handle @KTNKenya, Citi en T Kenya The announcement seems to put significant firm, Tweetsmister that teamed up with Portland. new technology. The new information and uses @citi entvkenya and T Kenya has emphasis on the idea that the power of social According to Tweetsmister, Kenya recorded communication technologies thrive on the ability @ntvkenya as their Twitter handle. Others include media is at its full potential in Kenya, as on 24,761,800 tweets by the fourth quarter of the to process information and to give and take K24 TV ( @K24Tv), The Standard Digital several occasions Kenyan topics have trended year 2012, coming second to South Africa33. relevant instructions, which these gadgets or ( @StandardKenya) andCapital FM Kenya ( worldwide by means of social media. @CapitalFM_kenya), Just to mention a few. Kenya, East Africa's biggest economy, out- devices are programmed to respond to. tweeted oil-producing powerhouse Nigeria, and 4.3 Illiteracy and the Internet/Social For illiterates, interpreting the somewhat-technical But the bloggers seemed to enjoy a comparatively Egypt where social media helped galvanize Media in Kenya massive audience. “The reason we have a large supporters of the Arab Spring revolution. instructions from these technological devices like the computers and the mobile phones, and audience unmatched by these media houses is Africa has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the This seems to be the first time a Kenyan election responding to them to achieve the desired results - because we tell the truth. We report it as it is and world. In Kenya, the rate of illiteracy (those over has played out on Twitter with #KOT (Kenyans creating a meaningful content or co-creating value do not go into the bed with politicians. We cannot 15years who cannot read and write) hovers around on Twitter) being the dominant hashtag for the - can be a very difficult and daunting exercise. be manipulated,” A blogger, who did not want to 22%. For a country of about 44 million people, elections. This year’s election has solidified Nevertheless, some technological devices can be be identified due to the controversial nature of his this is particularly high. It means that more than 9 31 Kenyan’s position not only as one of Africa’s top easy to use even by the uneducated. Many blog, told IQ4News. million of the population is totally or partially tweeting countries but as one of the top social illiterates use the mobile phone, though for mainly unable to read and write. “The government is up in arms against our work, media-oriented nations in Africa and the world. making and receiving calls. but we will not relent. We are serving our However, the literacy rate in Kenya among people 4.2.1 Social Media at its full potential in In developing countries where the rate of country,” he added. below 20 years of age is over 70%, as the first 8 Kenya illiteracy is incredibly high, the use of modern years of primary school are provided tuition-free The country boasts of 739 blogs, following information and communication technology in by the government. In January 2008, the closely Nigeria and South Africa with 1,351 and Due to the upsurge of social media and its obvious shaping the national agenda through civic government began offering a restricted program 9,352 respectively, according to Agrigator, impact on the Kenya elections, SocialPRO, a social participation is at its lowest ebb. Unlike the of free secondary education. Literacy is much Africa’s main blog aggregator.32 media group, has announced it is planning to film a advanced countries where due to the far lower higher among the young than the old population. documentary to highlight the use of social media in illiteracy rates, the majority of the population Kenya which would be released in April after the dust Most of this literacy, however, is elementary and Besides the numerous blogs, Kenya has 1,886,560 easily access and make good use of the Internet in on the elections have settled. not secondary or advanced.35 Facebook users today, at position 67 in the world all spheres of human endeavor including politics, according to Socialbakers, a network monitoring The documentary would be expected to showcase Even though, Kenya is comparatively better in the the situation in developing countries, and and analysis company. However, outstanding social media cases, influencers, and key African sub-region in terms of illiteracy rates, the precisely Kenya, is just the opposite. www.internetworldstats.com put the number of people and organisations, as well as memorable events country has a long way to go when it is paired Kenyan Facebook users at 2,045,900 as at 31st In Kenya, few educated people, namely the elites

34 Matinde, Vincent (February 25, 2013). “Documentary and the semi-educated in mostly the urban areas, on social media use in Kenya to be released” 31 Apollo,Joab “KENYA: The Power of Social Media in are the ones who are taking advantage of the http://www.humanipo.com/news/4207/Documentary- convenience, the opportunity and the political Kenyan Election”http://m.iq4news.com/node/71493 on-social-media-use-in-Kenya-to-be-released 32 Apollo,Joab “KENYA: The Power of Social Media in 33 Apollo,Joab “KENYA: The Power of Social Media in 35 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literacy#Kenya) platform that new technology now affords. To Kenyan Election”http://m.iq4news.com/node/71493 Kenyan Election”http://m.iq4news.com/node/71493 non-educated folks, new technology, - computers, As we would see later in this research in more 4.4 Kenya Politicians and Social Media address the concerns of their supporters through mobile phones, etc – has little value. details, the few urban-dwelling literate Kenyans this interactive medium. 37 have utilized the Internet and Social Media to Kenyan Politicians and their various political The Internet is woefully under-utilized by achieve a significant number of successes on the parties have recognized the importance of social Studies have shown that Twitter users tend to be illiterates in Kenya. While the educated class are country’s socio-economic and political landscape media in building a strong link between more inclined towards politics. Further, the social busily using the Internet in various and diverse – from registering their displeasure against themselves and their supporters, influencing networking site has proved to be more leaning ways to contribute meaningfully to political unpopular government policies, through public opinion, reaching more potential members towards political discourse than Facebook. discussions, enhancing the political process and organizing peaceful demonstration against and ultimately winning more votes. 36 Almost all of the presidential aspirants utilized the contributing towards fashioning out a better extravagant parliamentarians’ salaries to – not site’s features - tweets, promoted hashtags and Figure 4.1: national agenda, the uneducated class hardly least – marshaling support for victims of natural promoted accounts - to connect with their utilize the Internet to advance their opinions, as disasters. followers and even those who do not follow them that would require not only the fundamental on Twitter. ability to read and write but also complex In fact, the tech-savvy Kenyans and active social technical know-how of the computer and the media users have been able to champion the However, while seven of the eight leading Internet, a skill which they lack. interests of the entire country, particularly the candidates and their vices were using Twitter illiterate and non- technologically savvy majority during the campaign, a few were able to grasp the The number of Internet users in Kenya stood at power of the platform to reach their audiences. who have little or no voice in the political process. 16.2 million by December 31 last year, an 11.6 They have become a voice for the voiceless and a Peter Kenneth and Martha Karua led the pack in percent growth from the 14.5 million users mouthpiece for the politically disengaged and this Political parties and presidential candidates their activity. At one time, Karua appeared as the recorded at the end of September 2012. According is evidenced in the number of social media users created pages on Facebook and Twitter in which most mentioned candidate by commentators on to new data from the Communications during the recently held elections. information about their campaign schedule and Twitter, followed by RailaOdinga. Here are the Commission of Kenya, Internet penetration in the events was relayed to their followers. They also presidential candidates’ profiles on Twitter: country went up by 4.3 percent to 41.1 percent in Kenyans online community who are mostly well- utilized YouTube to broadcast video messages to @JamesOleKiyiapi (James Ole Kiyiapi), the last quarter of last year (the second quarter of informed, knowledgeable, and influential, the world in general and Kenyans in particular. @Marthakarua (Martha Karua), the 2012/2013 financial year). occasionally whip up the interest of the masses in Using Social networking outreach tools such as @MusaliaMudavadi (MusaliaMudavadi), national affairs and regularly build up their Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, a number of @PaulMuite (Paul Muite), @Peter_Kenneth Though these figures look impressive on the enthusiasm in either supporting or challenging (Peter Kenneth), @RailaOdinga surface, a deeper analysis of them reveals a stark Kenyan political candidates, especially the government policies, programmes and projects. presidential aspirants, identified supporters and (RailaOdinga),and @UKenyatta (Uhuru contrast. What is more, the figures show that the Kenyatta).38 total number of Internet users in Kenya is far less The more politically inclined internet users lead built unprecedented virtual electoral coalitions. than half of the population of this East African the charge not only in protesting government They capitalized on this new but powerful The story was no different on Facebook where the country. Whereas other factors may account for policies but also in encouraging civic medium to explain their manifestos to the voting presence of the presidential candidates was this, it is axiomatic that the high rate of illiteracy participation, initiating debates and organizing public, reach Diaspora, fundraise, sell their conspicuously unparalleled. in the country is a major cause. political dialogues. Undoubtedly, their policies and inform people of their pontifications about national issues hold sway on activities, question other candidates’ policies and Nevertheless, the number of people who use the the minds of ordinary citizens who mostly find no 37 Social Media Playing Key Role in Kenya's Electoral Internet in Kenya is steadily rising. Aside the fact problem at all in lending their unflinching support Process (August 8, 2012) Source: Copyright Xinhua that Kenya’s Internet population is rapidly to any cause they champion. In this way, they are News Agency - CEIS 2012; AVAILABLE AT: increasing, the current netizens in the country http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2012/8/8/social_me able to influence the non-tech savvy, ill-informed dia_playing_key_role_in.htm have proven to be some of the most articulate and and uneducated class to a large extent not only in 36 Battle for votes moves to social 38 List of Kenya’s Presidential aspirants on Social Media highly vocal users of the Internet and specifically political matters but also in the social and mediahttp://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/Battle- http://africommons.com/2012/10/24/list-of-kenyas- Social Media. for-votes-moves-to-social-media/-/1064/1538708/- presidential-aspirants-on-social-media/ economic spheres of the country. /i970hxz/-/index.html non-educated folks, new technology, - computers, As we would see later in this research in more 4.4 Kenya Politicians and Social Media address the concerns of their supporters through mobile phones, etc – has little value. details, the few urban-dwelling literate Kenyans this interactive medium. 37 have utilized the Internet and Social Media to Kenyan Politicians and their various political The Internet is woefully under-utilized by achieve a significant number of successes on the parties have recognized the importance of social Studies have shown that Twitter users tend to be illiterates in Kenya. While the educated class are country’s socio-economic and political landscape media in building a strong link between more inclined towards politics. Further, the social busily using the Internet in various and diverse – from registering their displeasure against themselves and their supporters, influencing networking site has proved to be more leaning ways to contribute meaningfully to political unpopular government policies, through public opinion, reaching more potential members towards political discourse than Facebook. discussions, enhancing the political process and organizing peaceful demonstration against and ultimately winning more votes. 36 Almost all of the presidential aspirants utilized the contributing towards fashioning out a better extravagant parliamentarians’ salaries to – not site’s features - tweets, promoted hashtags and Figure 4.1: national agenda, the uneducated class hardly least – marshaling support for victims of natural promoted accounts - to connect with their utilize the Internet to advance their opinions, as disasters. followers and even those who do not follow them that would require not only the fundamental on Twitter. ability to read and write but also complex In fact, the tech-savvy Kenyans and active social technical know-how of the computer and the media users have been able to champion the However, while seven of the eight leading Internet, a skill which they lack. interests of the entire country, particularly the candidates and their vices were using Twitter illiterate and non- technologically savvy majority during the campaign, a few were able to grasp the The number of Internet users in Kenya stood at power of the platform to reach their audiences. who have little or no voice in the political process. 16.2 million by December 31 last year, an 11.6 They have become a voice for the voiceless and a Peter Kenneth and Martha Karua led the pack in percent growth from the 14.5 million users mouthpiece for the politically disengaged and this Political parties and presidential candidates their activity. At one time, Karua appeared as the recorded at the end of September 2012. According is evidenced in the number of social media users created pages on Facebook and Twitter in which most mentioned candidate by commentators on to new data from the Communications during the recently held elections. information about their campaign schedule and Twitter, followed by RailaOdinga. Here are the Commission of Kenya, Internet penetration in the events was relayed to their followers. They also presidential candidates’ profiles on Twitter: country went up by 4.3 percent to 41.1 percent in Kenyans online community who are mostly well- utilized YouTube to broadcast video messages to @JamesOleKiyiapi (James Ole Kiyiapi), the last quarter of last year (the second quarter of informed, knowledgeable, and influential, the world in general and Kenyans in particular. @Marthakarua (Martha Karua), the 2012/2013 financial year). occasionally whip up the interest of the masses in Using Social networking outreach tools such as @MusaliaMudavadi (MusaliaMudavadi), national affairs and regularly build up their Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, a number of @PaulMuite (Paul Muite), @Peter_Kenneth Though these figures look impressive on the enthusiasm in either supporting or challenging (Peter Kenneth), @RailaOdinga surface, a deeper analysis of them reveals a stark Kenyan political candidates, especially the government policies, programmes and projects. presidential aspirants, identified supporters and (RailaOdinga),and @UKenyatta (Uhuru contrast. What is more, the figures show that the Kenyatta).38 total number of Internet users in Kenya is far less The more politically inclined internet users lead built unprecedented virtual electoral coalitions. than half of the population of this East African the charge not only in protesting government They capitalized on this new but powerful The story was no different on Facebook where the country. Whereas other factors may account for policies but also in encouraging civic medium to explain their manifestos to the voting presence of the presidential candidates was this, it is axiomatic that the high rate of illiteracy participation, initiating debates and organizing public, reach Diaspora, fundraise, sell their conspicuously unparalleled. in the country is a major cause. political dialogues. Undoubtedly, their policies and inform people of their pontifications about national issues hold sway on activities, question other candidates’ policies and Nevertheless, the number of people who use the the minds of ordinary citizens who mostly find no 37 Social Media Playing Key Role in Kenya's Electoral Internet in Kenya is steadily rising. Aside the fact problem at all in lending their unflinching support Process (August 8, 2012) Source: Copyright Xinhua that Kenya’s Internet population is rapidly to any cause they champion. In this way, they are News Agency - CEIS 2012; AVAILABLE AT: increasing, the current netizens in the country http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2012/8/8/social_me able to influence the non-tech savvy, ill-informed dia_playing_key_role_in.htm have proven to be some of the most articulate and and uneducated class to a large extent not only in 36 Battle for votes moves to social 38 List of Kenya’s Presidential aspirants on Social Media highly vocal users of the Internet and specifically political matters but also in the social and mediahttp://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/Battle- http://africommons.com/2012/10/24/list-of-kenyas- Social Media. for-votes-moves-to-social-media/-/1064/1538708/- presidential-aspirants-on-social-media/ economic spheres of the country. /i970hxz/-/index.html In terms of personalities, Uhuru Kenyatta, Martha integrity is violated and our border communities Karua, MwalimuKingangi, MainaKageni, are left at the mercy of bandits. This must stop.”40 RailaOdinga and William Ruto led the pack. Politicians tend to have split numbers because In the 2007 campaign and aftermath, social media they have multiple pages unlike corporate brands platforms like blogs were a significant source of which have one main point of reference page. Uhuru had his fan page but also had Team Uhuru information and advocacy, but not generally fan page. Uhuru Kenyatta’s Facebook page had officially associated with campaigns. Five years For example, Raila Odinga had two Facebook received close to half a million likes, making it later, as the number of social media users fanpages one with 78,000 fans and the other with the individual profile with the most likes in increased and the influence of social media 74,000 although membership could overlap. Kenya, while that of Ruto had close to 250,000 spread, politicians could not afford to ignore this William Ruto who had two pages one with 58,000 likes. On Twitter, Kenyatta’s handle had close to voting constituency. Social media has taken on a fans the other 52,972. Kalonzo Musyoka had 125,000 followers, while Ruto’s has 25,000 new role – a bigger one – in political campaigns, 19,156 fans. Peter Kenneth had 47,000 fans.39 followers. Only David Maillu had no Facebook or engagement and interaction, mobilization and (The total number of Facebook fans of the various Twitter account. organization of potential voters, fundraising, political candidates was not static). reaching the Diaspora, selling of campaign their business hoping to make ends meet. You are The presidential aspirants acquired multiple promises and policies and informing the public of the game-changers and you all humble me. To Twitter and Facebook accounts, blogs and relevant political activities. websites for themselves, their parties and different you, I say better days are coming." lobby groups associated with them. They Top on the list of presidential candidates in Kenya Martha Karua also used social media to raise intensified their campaigns by posting frequent who actively used social media to engage voters is funds for her campaigns. Karua launched an updates on their activities and that of their parties Prime Minister RailaOdinga and legislator Martha initiative dubbed Simamana mama namia (donate on their various social media platforms. Karua. The two were among people in the country 1.2 dollars for my campaign) on social media. The with the biggest followers on Twitter and friends initiative appealed to voters to help her raise One social media marketer in Nairobi, Mathew on Facebook. Almost every hour, they informed funds, which would make her accountable to Muthuri, observed, “Politicians know that if they voters of what they were doing, in both words and voters when she was elected president. want to reach the youthful voters, social media is pictures, and commented on issues that affect the place to be. Each presidential candidate has a Kenyans. sizeable number of friends on Facebook and "Thank you all for your overwhelming support to Simamana mama namia fundraising initiative. followers on Twitter,” Odinga wrote on his Twitter handle, inviting supporters to his last rally "I will be at Kamukunji You have taken a step of faith and heeded my call to action for you to own your presidency," she Launching his online campaign forum, grounds in Kibera at 2 p.m. today for a public appreciated as she gave out a mobile phone RailaOdinga, a leading presidential candidate, rally. You are all welcome." money account where voters can send their noted, “I will make you privy to my thinking on donations. urgent issues that affect us all. You will tweet, Similarly, Karua reached out to voters using her then I will tweet.” Twitter and Facebook accounts as much as she Social media served as a convenient platform campaigned in various parts of the East African where Kenyans could reach and question their Another presidential candidate, Martha Karua, nation. She wrote on her Facebook page: "This leaders since public debates are not popular in posted on her Facebook wall, “We live in a rough Sunday, I would like to appreciate millions of Kenya and most presidential candidates shy away neighborhood where we have remained a positive Kenyans who wake up every day and go about from such events. For instance, George Otieno, a Kenyan citizen asked Martha Karua on Facebook: force of peace and stability. Our territorial 40 Kenyan Politicians Struggle To Incorporate Social 39 Top Kenya Facebook pages http://www.the- Media In Election Campaigns "For how long will Kenyans continue living in star.co.ke/news/article-30709/top-kenya-facebook- http://www.webmania.co/blog/kenyan-politicians- insecurity and poor health? Many Kenyans are pages struggle-incorporate-social-media-election-campaigns economic refugees in the U.S., Britain and other In terms of personalities, Uhuru Kenyatta, Martha integrity is violated and our border communities Karua, MwalimuKingangi, MainaKageni, are left at the mercy of bandits. This must stop.”40 RailaOdinga and William Ruto led the pack. Politicians tend to have split numbers because In the 2007 campaign and aftermath, social media they have multiple pages unlike corporate brands platforms like blogs were a significant source of which have one main point of reference page. Uhuru had his fan page but also had Team Uhuru information and advocacy, but not generally fan page. Uhuru Kenyatta’s Facebook page had officially associated with campaigns. Five years For example, Raila Odinga had two Facebook received close to half a million likes, making it later, as the number of social media users fanpages one with 78,000 fans and the other with the individual profile with the most likes in increased and the influence of social media 74,000 although membership could overlap. Kenya, while that of Ruto had close to 250,000 spread, politicians could not afford to ignore this William Ruto who had two pages one with 58,000 likes. On Twitter, Kenyatta’s handle had close to voting constituency. Social media has taken on a fans the other 52,972. Kalonzo Musyoka had 125,000 followers, while Ruto’s has 25,000 new role – a bigger one – in political campaigns, 19,156 fans. Peter Kenneth had 47,000 fans.39 followers. Only David Maillu had no Facebook or engagement and interaction, mobilization and (The total number of Facebook fans of the various Twitter account. organization of potential voters, fundraising, political candidates was not static). reaching the Diaspora, selling of campaign their business hoping to make ends meet. You are The presidential aspirants acquired multiple promises and policies and informing the public of the game-changers and you all humble me. To Twitter and Facebook accounts, blogs and relevant political activities. websites for themselves, their parties and different you, I say better days are coming." lobby groups associated with them. They Top on the list of presidential candidates in Kenya Martha Karua also used social media to raise intensified their campaigns by posting frequent who actively used social media to engage voters is funds for her campaigns. Karua launched an updates on their activities and that of their parties Prime Minister RailaOdinga and legislator Martha initiative dubbed Simamana mama namia (donate on their various social media platforms. Karua. The two were among people in the country 1.2 dollars for my campaign) on social media. The with the biggest followers on Twitter and friends initiative appealed to voters to help her raise One social media marketer in Nairobi, Mathew on Facebook. Almost every hour, they informed funds, which would make her accountable to Muthuri, observed, “Politicians know that if they voters of what they were doing, in both words and voters when she was elected president. want to reach the youthful voters, social media is pictures, and commented on issues that affect the place to be. Each presidential candidate has a Kenyans. sizeable number of friends on Facebook and "Thank you all for your overwhelming support to Simamana mama namia fundraising initiative. followers on Twitter,” Odinga wrote on his Twitter handle, inviting supporters to his last rally "I will be at Kamukunji You have taken a step of faith and heeded my call to action for you to own your presidency," she Launching his online campaign forum, grounds in Kibera at 2 p.m. today for a public appreciated as she gave out a mobile phone RailaOdinga, a leading presidential candidate, rally. You are all welcome." money account where voters can send their noted, “I will make you privy to my thinking on donations. urgent issues that affect us all. You will tweet, Similarly, Karua reached out to voters using her then I will tweet.” Twitter and Facebook accounts as much as she Social media served as a convenient platform campaigned in various parts of the East African where Kenyans could reach and question their Another presidential candidate, Martha Karua, nation. She wrote on her Facebook page: "This leaders since public debates are not popular in posted on her Facebook wall, “We live in a rough Sunday, I would like to appreciate millions of Kenya and most presidential candidates shy away neighborhood where we have remained a positive Kenyans who wake up every day and go about from such events. For instance, George Otieno, a Kenyan citizen asked Martha Karua on Facebook: force of peace and stability. Our territorial 40 Kenyan Politicians Struggle To Incorporate Social 39 Top Kenya Facebook pages http://www.the- Media In Election Campaigns "For how long will Kenyans continue living in star.co.ke/news/article-30709/top-kenya-facebook- http://www.webmania.co/blog/kenyan-politicians- insecurity and poor health? Many Kenyans are pages struggle-incorporate-social-media-election-campaigns economic refugees in the U.S., Britain and other countries because they could not get jobs here. Information and Communication those without access to the Internet. Despite the the current state of the economy, the depreciating Every five years, Kenyans go to the polls to elect Minister Raphael Tuju who declared his numerous benefits associated with social media, currency, unemployment and much more. leaders who promise them heaven, yet they never presidential candidacy through YouTube in Sheng Ibrahim particularly blamed it for the rise in the live up to their promises, what will be different (a mash up language of English & Swahili ethnic loathing and hostilities, as the election date Young Kenyans are now setting the national this time?" popular among young Kenyans)41 close got closer: agenda and influencing debate in a way never seen before. One good example of this was when George became appreciative of the power of This was a step in the right direction as many “The mushrooming of bloggers working in the current budget was being prepared by the social media in linking leaders and voters when Karua answered her on Facebook. "I would never Kenyans, especially the youth, depended heavily cahoots with politicians is not good for the Kenyan Minister of Finance, Uhuru Kenyatta. In have found an opportunity to ask her the question on social media for up-to-the-minute news country because they thrive in spreading hate and order to meet the requisite civic participation but social media has given me the power to do updates and relevant information. lies,” he added. requested by law, Kenyatta asked Kenyans to that," he said. share their ideas and suggestions on the budgetary However, not all were enthused or interested in 4.5 Kenyans shape the electoral and interventions they would like to see in the Every Friday and Thursday respectively, Odinga the political ambitions or policies of the political processes through social media 2011/2012 Financial Year Budget through his and Karua held ' press conferences' on Twitter candidates. The candidates, therefore, had to social media accounts, including Twitter and where they received questions live from Kenyans. contend with a barrage of insults and ethnic-laced Like many parts in the world, a large chunk of Facebook. On his twitter account (@UKenyatta), criticisms and accusations from people irked by Kenyan social media users comprises the able- The leading contenders for the 2013 Kenya the minister tweeted: “Morning guys - I’d really their burning quest for power. There were bodied youths aged between 18 and 35 years who elections cunningly joined social media en masse like to have your input on the 2011-2012 budget. instances where unpleasant remarks were made could easily be incited to take up arms by the since a bulk of the voting population could now What are your priorities? Suggestions? Ideas?” after a presidential candidate had posted his slightest provocation. Amongst the chief causes be reached via this medium. They were quick in supposed plan for the country on Facebook, one cited for the 2007-08 post-election violence On his Facebook fan page, the minister requested realizing that the personal interaction this of the popular social media sites in Kenya. Some includes the high youth demographic and the high Kenyans to send in their ideas and suggestions on revolutionary media afforded is priceless and even referred to this unfortunate development as rate of unemployment among urban youth in the Budget through a Google Document Form that unprecedented. It is therefore little wonder that “online ethnic cleansing.” Kenya. was embedded on the page. The Treasury they also strategically placed individuals who do received an unprecedented 3000+ submission the propaganda work for them on Twitter and Musa Ibrahim, an IT consultant in Nairobi, Although these problems still exist, things have through Twitter, Facebook, emails and the Facebook to influence public opinion. This is asserted that politicians invested tremendously in changed and the youth has imbibed some vital blogosphere.42 nothing short of shrewdness since it was believed social media not only to market themselves but lessons from the grim consequences that the that some 70 percent of the elections would be importantly to gauge the fickle public opinion previous electoral violence left in its wake with It is heartening to see how the youth is interested driven by social media propaganda. Blogger and about them. the help of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) by in the political direction of their country and media guru Bogonko Bosire admitted that means of civic education. The loss of precious heartwarming to note how they are using social “In a tribal society like ours, a politician will assertion. He argued, "Election campaign time is lives, properties and in some cases families and media positively to shape the future of their simply judge his or her support base by the names like wartime…. Candidates who control friends caused by the violence have sensitized the beloved motherland. of the people who comment on their posts or discussions on the networks will control the youth to cherish and safeguard the peace and websites. This enables their teams to strategize. Another inspiring example of young Kenyans elections." unity they now enjoy. It’s just like a scientific opinion poll,” He told setting the agenda on social media happened when Moreover, Kenyan politicians organized high IQ4News Many a Kenyan youth wouldn’t like to see any aKenyan youth, Ahmed Salim — also known as profile meet-ups with local popular bloggers and repeat of what happened then in 2007-08 after any @ahmedsalims on Twitter — in collaboration He admits that those who use social media can social media opinion-makers just to connect and elections. Instead of doing nothing and letting with theKenyan RedCross, started a campaign on shape public opinion, and can easily influence build beneficial personal relationships online. It their frustration build up, they are actively using started with a dinner with PM RailaOdinga, then social media, blogging and expressing their 41 kachwanya (October 29, 2011). “Will Social Media Use 42 kachwanya (October 29, 2011). “Will Social Media Use came the meeting with Vice President Kalaonzo in Kenya Bring Change to Kenyans?” opinions about a wide range of issues including in Kenya Bring Change to Kenyans?” Musyoka and finally a meeting with former http://futurechallenges.org/local/will-kenyan-youth- http://futurechallenges.org/local/will-kenyan-youth- through-social-media-bring-change-in-kenya/ through-social-media-bring-change-in-kenya/ countries because they could not get jobs here. Information and Communication those without access to the Internet. Despite the the current state of the economy, the depreciating Every five years, Kenyans go to the polls to elect Minister Raphael Tuju who declared his numerous benefits associated with social media, currency, unemployment and much more. leaders who promise them heaven, yet they never presidential candidacy through YouTube in Sheng Ibrahim particularly blamed it for the rise in the live up to their promises, what will be different (a mash up language of English & Swahili ethnic loathing and hostilities, as the election date Young Kenyans are now setting the national this time?" popular among young Kenyans)41 close got closer: agenda and influencing debate in a way never seen before. One good example of this was when George became appreciative of the power of This was a step in the right direction as many “The mushrooming of bloggers working in the current budget was being prepared by the social media in linking leaders and voters when Karua answered her on Facebook. "I would never Kenyans, especially the youth, depended heavily cahoots with politicians is not good for the Kenyan Minister of Finance, Uhuru Kenyatta. In have found an opportunity to ask her the question on social media for up-to-the-minute news country because they thrive in spreading hate and order to meet the requisite civic participation but social media has given me the power to do updates and relevant information. lies,” he added. requested by law, Kenyatta asked Kenyans to that," he said. share their ideas and suggestions on the budgetary However, not all were enthused or interested in 4.5 Kenyans shape the electoral and interventions they would like to see in the Every Friday and Thursday respectively, Odinga the political ambitions or policies of the political processes through social media 2011/2012 Financial Year Budget through his and Karua held ' press conferences' on Twitter candidates. The candidates, therefore, had to social media accounts, including Twitter and where they received questions live from Kenyans. contend with a barrage of insults and ethnic-laced Like many parts in the world, a large chunk of Facebook. On his twitter account (@UKenyatta), criticisms and accusations from people irked by Kenyan social media users comprises the able- The leading contenders for the 2013 Kenya the minister tweeted: “Morning guys - I’d really their burning quest for power. There were bodied youths aged between 18 and 35 years who elections cunningly joined social media en masse like to have your input on the 2011-2012 budget. instances where unpleasant remarks were made could easily be incited to take up arms by the since a bulk of the voting population could now What are your priorities? Suggestions? Ideas?” after a presidential candidate had posted his slightest provocation. Amongst the chief causes be reached via this medium. They were quick in supposed plan for the country on Facebook, one cited for the 2007-08 post-election violence On his Facebook fan page, the minister requested realizing that the personal interaction this of the popular social media sites in Kenya. Some includes the high youth demographic and the high Kenyans to send in their ideas and suggestions on revolutionary media afforded is priceless and even referred to this unfortunate development as rate of unemployment among urban youth in the Budget through a Google Document Form that unprecedented. It is therefore little wonder that “online ethnic cleansing.” Kenya. was embedded on the page. The Treasury they also strategically placed individuals who do received an unprecedented 3000+ submission the propaganda work for them on Twitter and Musa Ibrahim, an IT consultant in Nairobi, Although these problems still exist, things have through Twitter, Facebook, emails and the Facebook to influence public opinion. This is asserted that politicians invested tremendously in changed and the youth has imbibed some vital blogosphere.42 nothing short of shrewdness since it was believed social media not only to market themselves but lessons from the grim consequences that the that some 70 percent of the elections would be importantly to gauge the fickle public opinion previous electoral violence left in its wake with It is heartening to see how the youth is interested driven by social media propaganda. Blogger and about them. the help of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) by in the political direction of their country and media guru Bogonko Bosire admitted that means of civic education. The loss of precious heartwarming to note how they are using social “In a tribal society like ours, a politician will assertion. He argued, "Election campaign time is lives, properties and in some cases families and media positively to shape the future of their simply judge his or her support base by the names like wartime…. Candidates who control friends caused by the violence have sensitized the beloved motherland. of the people who comment on their posts or discussions on the networks will control the youth to cherish and safeguard the peace and websites. This enables their teams to strategize. Another inspiring example of young Kenyans elections." unity they now enjoy. It’s just like a scientific opinion poll,” He told setting the agenda on social media happened when Moreover, Kenyan politicians organized high IQ4News Many a Kenyan youth wouldn’t like to see any aKenyan youth, Ahmed Salim — also known as profile meet-ups with local popular bloggers and repeat of what happened then in 2007-08 after any @ahmedsalims on Twitter — in collaboration He admits that those who use social media can social media opinion-makers just to connect and elections. Instead of doing nothing and letting with theKenyan RedCross, started a campaign on shape public opinion, and can easily influence build beneficial personal relationships online. It their frustration build up, they are actively using started with a dinner with PM RailaOdinga, then social media, blogging and expressing their 41 kachwanya (October 29, 2011). “Will Social Media Use 42 kachwanya (October 29, 2011). “Will Social Media Use came the meeting with Vice President Kalaonzo in Kenya Bring Change to Kenyans?” opinions about a wide range of issues including in Kenya Bring Change to Kenyans?” Musyoka and finally a meeting with former http://futurechallenges.org/local/will-kenyan-youth- http://futurechallenges.org/local/will-kenyan-youth- through-social-media-bring-change-in-kenya/ through-social-media-bring-change-in-kenya/ Facebook and Twitter that urged Kenyans to skip elections, Facebook pages of Kenyan citizens mention a few45. Besides tens of thousands of allegedly “staged” story with the hash tag at least one meal and donate the cost to help feed were flooded with political messages and tweets with no hashtags,these six key Twitter #SomeoneTellCNN. 46 starving Kenyans in the northern part of Kenya comments. On Twitter, every single issue related hashtags – led by #kenyadecides – were used at where manyKenyans were affected by the drought to the elections was touched. Many hashtags were least 76,000 times during the Election Day. Other The anger centered on reports by CNN reporter some time back. Donations were made through created on Twitter for all the significant aspects of hash tags also used are #decision13, #keDecides, Nima Elbagir who had claimed in her report that SMS on the mobile money payment system, the elections. #Kenyadebate, #kedebate13 and #keElections2013, #Kenya, and #KOT. an unnamed militia group were arming Mpesa. #Kenyadebate13 were just three of the hash tags themselves in the Rift Valley with “guns made specifically for the Kenyan presidential debate from iron piping and bullets bought from the Over the previous 30 days before the March The campaign dubbed #KenyaforKenyans went where people eagerly tweeted their views about black market”. The government claimed the story elections, these tags were used in nearly 200,000 viral on social media within just a few hours. One the debate in general and the performance of the was stage-managed after Elbagir refused to tweets, with #kenya appearing nearly 65,000 week later, Kenyan corporate players, among presidential aspirants in particular. The first disclose her sources to government spokesman times. The collective and swelling volume of 47 them the mobile phone network operator presidential debate was so heavily discussed on Muthui Kariuki. activity on Twitter suggests a record level of Safaricom, the Kenya commercial Bank and Twitter that it briefly became one of the world’s social media interaction for an African election. The story, entitled “Kenyans armed and ready to Media Houses, joined in. At least, KES. 671,784, top trending topics. 44 062.00 (4,901,978.00 EUR) were raised. The The level of engagement was much higher than in vote” which was uploaded on the CNN website youth did not only manage to raise awareness and According to some statistics, over 100,000 tweets 2007. For a while, the Kenya election was and aired on the CNN as a curtain-raiser to combat a humanitarian crisis, but they bypassed were posted as the three-and-a-half hour debate trending worldwide on Twitter. Kenya’s elections, depicted four people whose the current political system and effectively solved reached an audience of 189 million on the faces were obscured carrying, what the reporter Based on the above figures, social media was a critical problem together.43 microblogging site, Twitter. The debate was also Nima Elbagir, described as “guns fashioned from more utilized in the 2013 Kenyan general rife on Facebook, where it remained the main iron piping, home-made swords and bullets elections than during Nigeria’s 2011 presidential The inspiring practice of Kenyans making use of topic at that moment. bought from the black-market”. social media to bring about socio-economic and elections. An estimated 70,000 people posted political change was also replicated in their 2013 The second presidential debate also saw people contents online during Nigeria’s 2011 polls. elections. The success of the 2013 Kenyan across the country take to Twitter en masse to Kenyans already seem to have posted more elections can be partly attributed to the current analyze the discussion. As happened with the first content despite having one-quarter the population crop of peace-loving Kenyans and especially the debate, the Kenyan elections quickly started of Nigeria. youth who are bent on securing a better future for trending globally on Twitter, with ‘Kenya’ and Kenyans also engaged social media to shape their their country as future leaders of the land. moderator ‘Joe Ageyo’ both hitting the top ten. own national narratives during the elections. For Within Kenya, the conversation focused around a During the 2013 elections, the electorate used the instance, when the USA based popular Cable number of trending terms, including #kedebate13 News Network (CNN) ran a story that claimed social media platforms to hold political debates, ,#choice2013 and #uhuru. access their presidential candidates, asked that ahead of the elections, Kenyans were What partly generated the wellspring of anger pertinent questions and inform them about their Other popular Twitter hash tags with number of preparing for war, Kenyans on Twitter reacted in from the online community is the fact that the aspirations and fears. mentions via tweets on Twitter included no uncertain terms on social media to the #Kenyadecides (55,576), #Kenya (14,941) 46 Kenyans on Twitter react angrily to election violence Through social media, Kenyans keenly monitored #kepolls2013 ( 2,617), #keelections2013 (2,270), claims the electoral process and actively participated in #kenyaelection (539), #kenyavotes (386)# just to http://www.humanipo.com/news/4373/Kenyans-on- political discussions online. Throughout the Twitter-react-angrily-to-election-violence-claims 47 Shiundu, Alphonce (March 1, 2013). “Online fury over 44 Gould, Mathew (February 27th, 2013). “Kenyan CNN's story on unnamed militia group” 45 43 kachwanya (October 29, 2011). “Will Social Media Use candidates and voters take to Twitter ahead of elections” # kenyadecideshashtag mentioned 55,000+ times on http://elections.nation.co.ke/news/Online-fury-over- in Kenya Bring Change to Kenyans?” http://notebook.portland- election day (March 5, 2013) CNN-s-story-on-unnamed-militia-group/- http://futurechallenges.org/local/will-kenyan-youth- communications.com/2013/02/kenyan-candidates-and- http://www.oafrica.com/statistics/kenyadecides- /1631868/1708422/-/cfrv17z/-/index.html through-social-media-bring-change-in-kenya/ voters-take-to-twitter-ahead-of-elections/ hashtag-mentioned-55000-times-on-election-day/ Facebook and Twitter that urged Kenyans to skip elections, Facebook pages of Kenyan citizens mention a few45. Besides tens of thousands of allegedly “staged” story with the hash tag at least one meal and donate the cost to help feed were flooded with political messages and tweets with no hashtags,these six key Twitter #SomeoneTellCNN. 46 starving Kenyans in the northern part of Kenya comments. On Twitter, every single issue related hashtags – led by #kenyadecides – were used at where manyKenyans were affected by the drought to the elections was touched. Many hashtags were least 76,000 times during the Election Day. Other The anger centered on reports by CNN reporter some time back. Donations were made through created on Twitter for all the significant aspects of hash tags also used are #decision13, #keDecides, Nima Elbagir who had claimed in her report that SMS on the mobile money payment system, the elections. #Kenyadebate, #kedebate13 and #keElections2013, #Kenya, and #KOT. an unnamed militia group were arming Mpesa. #Kenyadebate13 were just three of the hash tags themselves in the Rift Valley with “guns made specifically for the Kenyan presidential debate from iron piping and bullets bought from the Over the previous 30 days before the March The campaign dubbed #KenyaforKenyans went where people eagerly tweeted their views about black market”. The government claimed the story elections, these tags were used in nearly 200,000 viral on social media within just a few hours. One the debate in general and the performance of the was stage-managed after Elbagir refused to tweets, with #kenya appearing nearly 65,000 week later, Kenyan corporate players, among presidential aspirants in particular. The first disclose her sources to government spokesman times. The collective and swelling volume of 47 them the mobile phone network operator presidential debate was so heavily discussed on Muthui Kariuki. activity on Twitter suggests a record level of Safaricom, the Kenya commercial Bank and Twitter that it briefly became one of the world’s social media interaction for an African election. The story, entitled “Kenyans armed and ready to Media Houses, joined in. At least, KES. 671,784, top trending topics. 44 062.00 (4,901,978.00 EUR) were raised. The The level of engagement was much higher than in vote” which was uploaded on the CNN website youth did not only manage to raise awareness and According to some statistics, over 100,000 tweets 2007. For a while, the Kenya election was and aired on the CNN as a curtain-raiser to combat a humanitarian crisis, but they bypassed were posted as the three-and-a-half hour debate trending worldwide on Twitter. Kenya’s elections, depicted four people whose the current political system and effectively solved reached an audience of 189 million on the faces were obscured carrying, what the reporter Based on the above figures, social media was a critical problem together.43 microblogging site, Twitter. The debate was also Nima Elbagir, described as “guns fashioned from more utilized in the 2013 Kenyan general rife on Facebook, where it remained the main iron piping, home-made swords and bullets elections than during Nigeria’s 2011 presidential The inspiring practice of Kenyans making use of topic at that moment. bought from the black-market”. social media to bring about socio-economic and elections. An estimated 70,000 people posted political change was also replicated in their 2013 The second presidential debate also saw people contents online during Nigeria’s 2011 polls. elections. The success of the 2013 Kenyan across the country take to Twitter en masse to Kenyans already seem to have posted more elections can be partly attributed to the current analyze the discussion. As happened with the first content despite having one-quarter the population crop of peace-loving Kenyans and especially the debate, the Kenyan elections quickly started of Nigeria. youth who are bent on securing a better future for trending globally on Twitter, with ‘Kenya’ and Kenyans also engaged social media to shape their their country as future leaders of the land. moderator ‘Joe Ageyo’ both hitting the top ten. own national narratives during the elections. For Within Kenya, the conversation focused around a During the 2013 elections, the electorate used the instance, when the USA based popular Cable number of trending terms, including #kedebate13 News Network (CNN) ran a story that claimed social media platforms to hold political debates, ,#choice2013 and #uhuru. access their presidential candidates, asked that ahead of the elections, Kenyans were What partly generated the wellspring of anger pertinent questions and inform them about their Other popular Twitter hash tags with number of preparing for war, Kenyans on Twitter reacted in from the online community is the fact that the aspirations and fears. mentions via tweets on Twitter included no uncertain terms on social media to the #Kenyadecides (55,576), #Kenya (14,941) 46 Kenyans on Twitter react angrily to election violence Through social media, Kenyans keenly monitored #kepolls2013 ( 2,617), #keelections2013 (2,270), claims the electoral process and actively participated in #kenyaelection (539), #kenyavotes (386)# just to http://www.humanipo.com/news/4373/Kenyans-on- political discussions online. Throughout the Twitter-react-angrily-to-election-violence-claims 47 Shiundu, Alphonce (March 1, 2013). “Online fury over 44 Gould, Mathew (February 27th, 2013). “Kenyan CNN's story on unnamed militia group” 45 43 kachwanya (October 29, 2011). “Will Social Media Use candidates and voters take to Twitter ahead of elections” # kenyadecideshashtag mentioned 55,000+ times on http://elections.nation.co.ke/news/Online-fury-over- in Kenya Bring Change to Kenyans?” http://notebook.portland- election day (March 5, 2013) CNN-s-story-on-unnamed-militia-group/- http://futurechallenges.org/local/will-kenyan-youth- communications.com/2013/02/kenyan-candidates-and- http://www.oafrica.com/statistics/kenyadecides- /1631868/1708422/-/cfrv17z/-/index.html through-social-media-bring-change-in-kenya/ voters-take-to-twitter-ahead-of-elections/ hashtag-mentioned-55000-times-on-election-day/ story failed to mention a rally at Nairobi’s Uhuru In a follow-up tweet Grant added: “Parachute-in Likewise, Kenyans did not take kindly to the Park about peaceful elections, which happened on journalists in search of disaster completely miss tweets from France 24 presenter Stuart Norval. the same day the story was run. They were also the great story of peace and reform b4 their eyes”. Norval provoked a backlash after tweeting reports embittered by the reporter’s neglect or exclusion of gunshots in Nairobi as people fought to vote. of the fervent preparations by the police to ensure Gideon Serem too had queries for the global, Using the Twitter Handle Stuart Norval American-based broadcaster: “Don't your acts of crime and violence do not happen during @stuartf24, he the elections. Vows by the presidential candidates journalists have anything positive to report about that they would concede defeat and take their the Kenyan election”. Using the hash tag twe #TweetLikeAForeignJournalist, ordinary but tech- grievances to the courts in a meeting earlier on in “Isn't there just something else to anticipate apart eted savvy Kenyans did not hold back from mocking the same week were also not mentioned in her from your WAR & ARMS, it just sounds some perceived unprofessional foreign journalists story. twisted,” noted a person whose twitter handle is who made exaggerated reports on elections- @AverageKenyan. One by one, Kenyans flooded Twitter to debunk Tho and condemn the story and nearly called the Fatma Albeity With the twitter handle @f_albeity ugh integrity of CNN into account: also tweeted: Nor “A story needs to be balanced, where is the side of val the coin showing people who are going around sub preaching peace?” posed Michelle Anekeya in her seq related skirmishes with sarcastic comments, tweet to the reporter, Nima Elbagir, whose handle uent witticism and pun. is @NimaCNN. ly posted what he claimed to be a video proving the authenticity of the claims, Kenyans reacted This was not the first time Kenyans had fought for Mohammed Hersi @hersimohammedtweeted: with anger at what they considered to be their interest on social media. Kenyans on twitter “#SomeoneTellC that (there’ll be) no war and misreporting. have on many occasions taken it upon themselves Kenya will vote peacefully, no running battles, to fight for their country on social media. When a karuri nyaga @knyaga tweeted: only Kenyans running home to celebrate a new certain blog listed Nairobi as the second worst city to live in, Kenyans on twitter were fast to president,” @AverageKenyan added in a separate tweet. react and satirize it. Furthermore, when Kenyan anne @ceramuhia simply said: MPs wanted to increase their salaries, Kenyans on This did not only force CNN to stop airing the Twitter –with the hash tag #KOT- mobilized story and remove it from their website but themselves for a peaceful demonstration. Mohammed later added on Twitter: The call for tolerance and peace was also reassuring on social media. Twitter and Facebook were particularly useful in preaching peace and patience throughout the tense electoral period. MehulGohil @mehulgorillawrote sarcastically, Kenyans inundated the pages of social media sites with peaceful messages and overshadowed the compelled them to issue an appeasing response to Kenyans on Twitter: few provocative comments with a flurry of calls Also Grant Brooke posed: “Where was CNN for unity while appealing to fellow Kenyans on when all the candidates stood together and told social media to exercise restraint. their followers to commit no acts of violence?” story failed to mention a rally at Nairobi’s Uhuru In a follow-up tweet Grant added: “Parachute-in Likewise, Kenyans did not take kindly to the Park about peaceful elections, which happened on journalists in search of disaster completely miss tweets from France 24 presenter Stuart Norval. the same day the story was run. They were also the great story of peace and reform b4 their eyes”. Norval provoked a backlash after tweeting reports embittered by the reporter’s neglect or exclusion of gunshots in Nairobi as people fought to vote. of the fervent preparations by the police to ensure Gideon Serem too had queries for the global, Using the Twitter Handle Stuart Norval American-based broadcaster: “Don't your acts of crime and violence do not happen during @stuartf24, he the elections. Vows by the presidential candidates journalists have anything positive to report about that they would concede defeat and take their the Kenyan election”. Using the hash tag twe #TweetLikeAForeignJournalist, ordinary but tech- grievances to the courts in a meeting earlier on in “Isn't there just something else to anticipate apart eted savvy Kenyans did not hold back from mocking the same week were also not mentioned in her from your WAR & ARMS, it just sounds some perceived unprofessional foreign journalists story. twisted,” noted a person whose twitter handle is who made exaggerated reports on elections- @AverageKenyan. One by one, Kenyans flooded Twitter to debunk Tho and condemn the story and nearly called the Fatma Albeity With the twitter handle @f_albeity ugh integrity of CNN into account: also tweeted: Nor “A story needs to be balanced, where is the side of val the coin showing people who are going around sub preaching peace?” posed Michelle Anekeya in her seq related skirmishes with sarcastic comments, tweet to the reporter, Nima Elbagir, whose handle uent witticism and pun. is @NimaCNN. ly posted what he claimed to be a video proving the authenticity of the claims, Kenyans reacted This was not the first time Kenyans had fought for Mohammed Hersi @hersimohammedtweeted: with anger at what they considered to be their interest on social media. Kenyans on twitter “#SomeoneTellC that (there’ll be) no war and misreporting. have on many occasions taken it upon themselves Kenya will vote peacefully, no running battles, to fight for their country on social media. When a karuri nyaga @knyaga tweeted: only Kenyans running home to celebrate a new certain blog listed Nairobi as the second worst city to live in, Kenyans on twitter were fast to president,” @AverageKenyan added in a separate tweet. react and satirize it. Furthermore, when Kenyan anne @ceramuhia simply said: MPs wanted to increase their salaries, Kenyans on This did not only force CNN to stop airing the Twitter –with the hash tag #KOT- mobilized story and remove it from their website but themselves for a peaceful demonstration. Mohammed later added on Twitter: The call for tolerance and peace was also reassuring on social media. Twitter and Facebook were particularly useful in preaching peace and patience throughout the tense electoral period. MehulGohil @mehulgorillawrote sarcastically, Kenyans inundated the pages of social media sites with peaceful messages and overshadowed the compelled them to issue an appeasing response to Kenyans on Twitter: few provocative comments with a flurry of calls Also Grant Brooke posed: “Where was CNN for unity while appealing to fellow Kenyans on when all the candidates stood together and told social media to exercise restraint. their followers to commit no acts of violence?” Throughout the elections, Kenyans took to Twitter Kenya making a productive use of social media mobs, according to the National Human Rights in droves to disapprove fears of a repeat of deadly towards influencing their electoral and political Commission. To curb this and prevent another violence witnessed in the last disputed 2007 process and thereby shaping their national possible mayhem, Kenya issued an order to de- elections. As the electoral results started arriving, narra register all lines that cannot be traced to a known Kenyans used Twitter hashtags #kenyadecides tive user in an attempt to clamp down on people and #postelectionpeace to urge against violence, and sending out provocative texts. no matter the result.However, as tallying of agen presidential results encountered technical da. However, such noble and well-intentioned efforts challenges in relaying of provisional by Kenyan authorities to halt the use of mobile count,Tweeps created yet another harsh phones to incite violence could be painfully tag:#Tunaweswait. This was used to plead for thwarted by the arrival of affordable smart phones patience as IEBC manually tallied the official on the Kenyan Market which has increased The Kenya Elections Observation Group’s results from constituency returning officers. internet use on cell phones and generated an (ELOG), a coalition of ten civil society explosion of social media. Even if they succeeded As mentioned earlier, the youth are the largest organizations came up with relevant election- in preventing unknown mobile phone users from customers or users of social media in Kenya just related content not only on their website, but also sending out provocative text messages, stopping like other parts of the world. Due to their 4.6 Social Media and the Independent on their Facebook page and Twitter account. They those people from using social media to advance served as good resources for citizens and other boundless energies and sheer strength, the youth Electoral Boundaries Commission their diabolic intention would be more of a election-monitoring bodies to follow for a herculean task. (IEBC) trustworthy report on the elections. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Consequently, some feared Facebook and Twitter Commission (IEBC), Kenya’s electoral 4.6.2 The Threat of Social Media to the would take the place of the SMS text this time commission, created an informative Facebook Kenya Elections around. page for the elections. The page proved very helpful to Kenyan’s burgeoning internet users and Radio is traditionally noted for playing the leading 4.6 Sanitizing the social media landscape particularly the social media-craze youth. The channel for the dissemination of hate speech in in the Kenya elections commission made sure that all up-to-date Kenya. This dilemma was amply evidenced by the information relevant to the elections was made inclusion of a local radio presenter among the ICC The increasing threat of blogs and bloggers, available on their Facebook page so that voters indictees in the aftermath of the 2007/2008 post- Facebook and Twitter can only be left out of the will be well informed about the electoral process. election violence. Joshua Arap Sang faces charges dangers social media pose to the detriment of People with unsettling questions could also seek of crimes against humanity alongside Kenyatta those monitoring hate and dangerous speech on clarification from the commission through their and Ruto. All of them claim they are innocent. social media, and can be ignored only at the peril are the same ones who are easily manipulated and Facebook page. of the whole country. Hate speech in the last During the 2007-08 clashes, mobile phone text often incited to engage in needless violence. It elections was spread by phone text, radio, and 4.6.1 Social Media and CSOs messages aided in mobilizing vigilante groups and was therefore comforting to see the youth in leaflets. Throughout the elections, Kenyans took to Twitter Kenya making a productive use of social media mobs, according to the National Human Rights in droves to disapprove fears of a repeat of deadly towards influencing their electoral and political Commission. To curb this and prevent another violence witnessed in the last disputed 2007 process and thereby shaping their national possible mayhem, Kenya issued an order to de- elections. As the electoral results started arriving, narra register all lines that cannot be traced to a known Kenyans used Twitter hashtags #kenyadecides tive user in an attempt to clamp down on people and #postelectionpeace to urge against violence, and sending out provocative texts. no matter the result.However, as tallying of agen presidential results encountered technical da. However, such noble and well-intentioned efforts challenges in relaying of provisional by Kenyan authorities to halt the use of mobile count,Tweeps created yet another harsh phones to incite violence could be painfully tag:#Tunaweswait. This was used to plead for thwarted by the arrival of affordable smart phones patience as IEBC manually tallied the official on the Kenyan Market which has increased The Kenya Elections Observation Group’s results from constituency returning officers. internet use on cell phones and generated an (ELOG), a coalition of ten civil society explosion of social media. Even if they succeeded As mentioned earlier, the youth are the largest organizations came up with relevant election- in preventing unknown mobile phone users from customers or users of social media in Kenya just related content not only on their website, but also sending out provocative text messages, stopping like other parts of the world. Due to their 4.6 Social Media and the Independent on their Facebook page and Twitter account. They those people from using social media to advance served as good resources for citizens and other boundless energies and sheer strength, the youth Electoral Boundaries Commission their diabolic intention would be more of a election-monitoring bodies to follow for a herculean task. (IEBC) trustworthy report on the elections. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Consequently, some feared Facebook and Twitter Commission (IEBC), Kenya’s electoral 4.6.2 The Threat of Social Media to the would take the place of the SMS text this time commission, created an informative Facebook Kenya Elections around. page for the elections. The page proved very helpful to Kenyan’s burgeoning internet users and Radio is traditionally noted for playing the leading 4.6 Sanitizing the social media landscape particularly the social media-craze youth. The channel for the dissemination of hate speech in in the Kenya elections commission made sure that all up-to-date Kenya. This dilemma was amply evidenced by the information relevant to the elections was made inclusion of a local radio presenter among the ICC The increasing threat of blogs and bloggers, available on their Facebook page so that voters indictees in the aftermath of the 2007/2008 post- Facebook and Twitter can only be left out of the will be well informed about the electoral process. election violence. Joshua Arap Sang faces charges dangers social media pose to the detriment of People with unsettling questions could also seek of crimes against humanity alongside Kenyatta those monitoring hate and dangerous speech on clarification from the commission through their and Ruto. All of them claim they are innocent. social media, and can be ignored only at the peril are the same ones who are easily manipulated and Facebook page. of the whole country. Hate speech in the last During the 2007-08 clashes, mobile phone text often incited to engage in needless violence. It elections was spread by phone text, radio, and 4.6.1 Social Media and CSOs messages aided in mobilizing vigilante groups and was therefore comforting to see the youth in leaflets. Though the government had rolled out measures Figure 4.1: The Umati team trawl through postings by carefully sifting through blogs and Five specialists, representing Kenya’s five major to tackle this menace by even going to the extent social media for Hate speech social media sites. They looked out for early signs ethnic groups, focused on social media and the of de-registering mobile phones whose lines The Umati project is a “dangerous speech” and clues of escalating inter-tribal tension. The Web for a country of about 44 million. They have cannot be traced to a known user, authorities monitoring project built on Ushahidi’s Swift threat of social media was definitely real and set definitions to identify the point at which free feared unidentified war mongers and inciters River platform. The sole aim of Umati which was Awori and her colleagues had a justified reason to speech becomes criminal incitement. Monitors an initiative of technology incubator, iHub, and be worried. used an online categorization process that enabled software developer, Ushahidi, was to monitor and them sort the collected statements in order of report dangerous postings online by Kenyans to Umati lead Researcher Kagonya Awori says: severity. These were rated as offensive speech, the authorities. 48 “Anything put in public space is for public moderately dangerous speech, and extremely consumption and online is a public platform,” she dangerous speech. Of the three, moderately To curb the spread of hate speech, Kenyan says. At one time, there were about 30 sites dangerous speech continued to be the most authorities passed legislation banning media being monitored including those using local rampant. Examples of such messages posted outlets from re-printing hate speech. In spite of online include: ‘Show me a (tribe) and I will show the fact that the media houses were prohibited dialects. “We are looking at blogs that are up to date and feature Kenyan issues locally and in the you a waste of space on this beautiful planet.’ might hide behind shielding weblogs (blogs), from re-printing tribal hate speech in full, the ‘We won’t vote for a woman, authorities had not been able to stop ordinary Diaspora. Besides Facebook and Twitter we are Facebook and Twitter to post and circulate their looking at online newspapers, and recently shindwanaushindwe’. bitterness and discontent. This could Kenyans from voicing tribal animosities on social media. Examples of online vitriol included calls to introduced the monitoring of You Tube videos iHub Research Project Manager Angela Crandall unfortunately serve as basis for protests and riots posted by media houses,” she said. Besides and ultimately set the stage for unnecessary "chinjachinja", or "butcher butcher" in Swahili, as also confirmed that negative sentiments targeting well as to beat, loot, riot, kill, and drive out other Kiswahili, English and Sheng, social sites using tribe top the list of dangerous messages that were mayhem. Kikuyu, Luo, Luhyia and Kalenjin were also tribes. being spewed online, with others targeted at Consequently, a number of election-monitoring monitored. gender, religion, and political inclinations. The Such inciting postings would not augur well for bodies were introduced in the elections to assist in If there is anything Kenyans feared most, it would most frequent call to action on monitored Kenyan ensuring violent free elections. Among them were the peace and security the country desired to blogs, newspapers, Facebook pages and tweets achieve before, during and after the elections. be the unfortunate repetition of the 2007 post- social media monitoring bodies such as Umati and election violence when the declaration of according to a study by Umati, was to Uchaguzi whose main work was to monitor the That was why Awori and her Umati team were discriminate members of another group. The constantly on the watch to pick out and condemn incumbent President MwaiKibaki as the re-elected social media platform for provocative and victor was disputed by opponents and erupted into report noted that the highest use of dangerous inflammatory postings, identify the perpetrators such incendiary statements before they plunged speech from Kenyans online is by identifiable the country into another gory massacre. bloodbath. More than 1,200 people were and assist the Kenyan authorities in tracking them slaughtered; many butchered by machete, burnt commenters, with 53 per cent in October and 90 down for prosecution. Each and every day, Kagonya Awori and her alive or shot with bows and arrows as the per cent in November 2012. dedicated team, scanned through Facebook and country's biggest tribes turned on one another. 4.6.1 Umati "There are outright calls to kill, forcefully evict Twitter for warning indications that Kenya's "The amount of dangerous speech is going up but, and steal as well as discriminate against members Fears that social media could drive a repeat of elections in March might unleash the same ethnic this time, the people who are saying these things of particular communities," Kagonya Awori said. 2007 violence were completely far from baseless. violence that nearly plunged the country into civil are not hiding at all," said Awori. Umati scanned Awori’s group found most of the hate speech on The arduous task of Kagonya Awori and her tech- war five years ago. The group of six embarked on twitter, blogs, and Facebook for incidents of hate Facebook, where users frequently revealed their savvy team attested to this fact. Awori heads a search for hate speech and inflammatory speech in seven different Kenyan languages. names, and often their location. Umati, a web-based project monitoring dangerous These seven Kenyan languages or tribes were speech for research firm iHub Research, which 48 When they come across such dangerous messages Gogineni, Roopa (February 23, 2013) “Kenya Cracks arrived at based purely on population size figures conducts Africa-focused tech research out of Down on Hate Speech Before Elections.” on social media - that which has the potential to that put them at the top. Nairobi. http://www.voanews.com/content/kenya-cracks-down- cause violence, - they forward them to Uchaguzi, on-hate-speech-before-elections/1609413.html the incident-mapping platform for the election. Though the government had rolled out measures Figure 4.1: The Umati team trawl through postings by carefully sifting through blogs and Five specialists, representing Kenya’s five major to tackle this menace by even going to the extent social media for Hate speech social media sites. They looked out for early signs ethnic groups, focused on social media and the of de-registering mobile phones whose lines The Umati project is a “dangerous speech” and clues of escalating inter-tribal tension. The Web for a country of about 44 million. They have cannot be traced to a known user, authorities monitoring project built on Ushahidi’s Swift threat of social media was definitely real and set definitions to identify the point at which free feared unidentified war mongers and inciters River platform. The sole aim of Umati which was Awori and her colleagues had a justified reason to speech becomes criminal incitement. Monitors an initiative of technology incubator, iHub, and be worried. used an online categorization process that enabled software developer, Ushahidi, was to monitor and them sort the collected statements in order of report dangerous postings online by Kenyans to Umati lead Researcher Kagonya Awori says: severity. These were rated as offensive speech, the authorities. 48 “Anything put in public space is for public moderately dangerous speech, and extremely consumption and online is a public platform,” she dangerous speech. Of the three, moderately To curb the spread of hate speech, Kenyan says. At one time, there were about 30 sites dangerous speech continued to be the most authorities passed legislation banning media being monitored including those using local rampant. Examples of such messages posted outlets from re-printing hate speech. In spite of online include: ‘Show me a (tribe) and I will show the fact that the media houses were prohibited dialects. “We are looking at blogs that are up to date and feature Kenyan issues locally and in the you a waste of space on this beautiful planet.’ might hide behind shielding weblogs (blogs), from re-printing tribal hate speech in full, the ‘We won’t vote for a woman, authorities had not been able to stop ordinary Diaspora. Besides Facebook and Twitter we are Facebook and Twitter to post and circulate their looking at online newspapers, and recently shindwanaushindwe’. bitterness and discontent. This could Kenyans from voicing tribal animosities on social media. Examples of online vitriol included calls to introduced the monitoring of You Tube videos iHub Research Project Manager Angela Crandall unfortunately serve as basis for protests and riots posted by media houses,” she said. Besides and ultimately set the stage for unnecessary "chinjachinja", or "butcher butcher" in Swahili, as also confirmed that negative sentiments targeting well as to beat, loot, riot, kill, and drive out other Kiswahili, English and Sheng, social sites using tribe top the list of dangerous messages that were mayhem. Kikuyu, Luo, Luhyia and Kalenjin were also tribes. being spewed online, with others targeted at Consequently, a number of election-monitoring monitored. gender, religion, and political inclinations. The Such inciting postings would not augur well for bodies were introduced in the elections to assist in If there is anything Kenyans feared most, it would most frequent call to action on monitored Kenyan ensuring violent free elections. Among them were the peace and security the country desired to blogs, newspapers, Facebook pages and tweets achieve before, during and after the elections. be the unfortunate repetition of the 2007 post- social media monitoring bodies such as Umati and election violence when the declaration of according to a study by Umati, was to Uchaguzi whose main work was to monitor the That was why Awori and her Umati team were discriminate members of another group. The constantly on the watch to pick out and condemn incumbent President MwaiKibaki as the re-elected social media platform for provocative and victor was disputed by opponents and erupted into report noted that the highest use of dangerous inflammatory postings, identify the perpetrators such incendiary statements before they plunged speech from Kenyans online is by identifiable the country into another gory massacre. bloodbath. More than 1,200 people were and assist the Kenyan authorities in tracking them slaughtered; many butchered by machete, burnt commenters, with 53 per cent in October and 90 down for prosecution. Each and every day, Kagonya Awori and her alive or shot with bows and arrows as the per cent in November 2012. dedicated team, scanned through Facebook and country's biggest tribes turned on one another. 4.6.1 Umati "There are outright calls to kill, forcefully evict Twitter for warning indications that Kenya's "The amount of dangerous speech is going up but, and steal as well as discriminate against members Fears that social media could drive a repeat of elections in March might unleash the same ethnic this time, the people who are saying these things of particular communities," Kagonya Awori said. 2007 violence were completely far from baseless. violence that nearly plunged the country into civil are not hiding at all," said Awori. Umati scanned Awori’s group found most of the hate speech on The arduous task of Kagonya Awori and her tech- war five years ago. The group of six embarked on twitter, blogs, and Facebook for incidents of hate Facebook, where users frequently revealed their savvy team attested to this fact. Awori heads a search for hate speech and inflammatory speech in seven different Kenyan languages. names, and often their location. Umati, a web-based project monitoring dangerous These seven Kenyan languages or tribes were speech for research firm iHub Research, which 48 When they come across such dangerous messages Gogineni, Roopa (February 23, 2013) “Kenya Cracks arrived at based purely on population size figures conducts Africa-focused tech research out of Down on Hate Speech Before Elections.” on social media - that which has the potential to that put them at the top. Nairobi. http://www.voanews.com/content/kenya-cracks-down- cause violence, - they forward them to Uchaguzi, on-hate-speech-before-elections/1609413.html the incident-mapping platform for the election. There citizens can track, promote examination of, Kenya have a free, fair, credible general election. Ushahidi and their affiliate projects – Umati and are monitoring and will take people to court for and even debunk the speech. Uchaguzi relied on Our strategy for achieving that aim is increasing Uchaguzi – proved very instrumental in averting using abusive language on social media," said tens of thousands of Kenyan citizen journalists transparency and accountability by increasing both potential and actual violence in the 2013 Nicholas Kamwende, head of the police's criminal who monitored the elections and mapped citizen participation in the electoral process.”50 Kenyan elections. investigations department in Nairobi. incidents of violence through many channels particularly social media.49 The Uchaguzi website is built on the Ushahidi 4.6.3 The National Cohesion and 4.7 Proactive Measures crowdsourcing platform, which emerged during Integration Commission (NCIC) and the Umati shared the reports it developed with the post-election crisis in January 2008. Nearly Police different partners including the police, National 45,000 Kenyans contributed to Ushahidi over Some have referred to the work of the Umati Cohesion and Integration Commission and the twitter, SMS, email and the web, to map incidents The National Cohesion and Integration initiative and the work of Awori and her team as civil society. They were also in contact with the of violence around the country.51 Commission (NCIC), a national agency set up to reactionary in nature. Setting up keywords to ministry of Communication as well as electoral reconcile tribes after the 2007 election violence monitor, tracking conversations, identifying Umati was an arm of the Uchaguzi project which commission. said it was working with police to identify threats frequent sources of hate speech, curating content was deployed by Ushahidi. Both Umati and and hate speech to avoid a repeat of the 2007 or the evidence, and moving on to arrest these Ucaguzi are part of the Ushahidi network which is 4.6.2 Uchaguzi mayhem. Particular attention was being paid to perpetrators can be a tiresome and slow process. Swahili for "testimony" or “witness”. Created in political rallies and social media, Alice Nderitu, Uchaguzi was a crowdsourcing website that also 2008 as a way for Kenyans to report instances of an official at National Cohesion and Integration In addition to the work of Awori’s Umati team, enabled citizens with access to SMS, Twitter, post-election violence, it has since been used to Commission, told Reuters. the government also put in place laudable email, or Facebook to report incidents of illegal map acts of war in Gaza, earthquake devastation proactive measures in the form of instituting activities, hate speech and poll violence. The in Haiti and U.S. activist have also used it to chart The National Cohesion and Integration media guidelines, moral suasion and strict Uchaguzi team then verified the reports before human rights abuses in Syria. Commission (NCIC) established a department warning. responding to them by “getting verified headed by a cybercrime expert to scan social During Kenya's 2010 constitutional referendum, information to organizations and individuals who media for rabble-rousing language. Many The Kenyan government laid out strict guidelines Ushahidi also proved it could play a key role in can intervene positively and monitoring that offenders were identified on Facebook, Twitter, to tamp down hate speech as the country prepared curbing aggression. When it received an SMS response to measure its effectiveness”. Among and on blogs. Some of the offenders were even to hold the general elections. The new regulations, message of rumours that machete-wielding men other things, it connected on-the-ground reports referred to the director of public prosecution who called "Guidelines for the Prevention of had rushed to a polling station in western Kenya, with law enforcement officials. might face jail time.52 Transmission of Undesirable Political Messages it verified the threat with its sources on the ground via Electronic Communication Networks", were and alerted the police. Fifteen minutes later, Besides relying on information from initiatives announced in Nairobi on Wednesday (October 24, dozens of police officers swooped on the polling like Umati, NCIC also worked in partnership with 2012).53 station to halt any possible trouble." It looked like the Communications Commission of Kenya, magic for the guy who sent the SMS," recalled Content Service providers and mobile phone The guidelines were made to monitor messages Daudi Were, Ushahidi's project manager. operators to fight hate speech. sent via mobile phone as well as content disseminated on social media networks to ensure

The police also noted with extreme caution the no offensive or inciting messages were posted on 50 Kenya: Social Media and the Kenyan specter of violence social media can raise. "We Electionshttp://howabi.com/viewNews.aspx?TID=N136 Twitter and Facebook, said Permanent Secretary Daudi Were is the coordinator of Uchaguzi, which 1881546507&hl=Kenya+Social+Media+and+the+Kenya 52 means “election” in Swahili. He explains: n+Elections Gogeneni, Roopa (2013). “Kenya cracks down 51 Gogineni, Roopa (26 February, 2013). “Kenya: on hate speech before elections” “Uchagu i is a project whose core aim is to help 53 Ramah, Rajab (2012).“Kenya to tamp down hate 'Vote Wisely, Vote for Peace' - Social Media (http://www.tnatnews.com/kenya-cracks-down- speech as elections near.” SOURCE: 49 Gogineni, Roopa (February 25, 2013). “Social media Comments on Kenyan Elections” on-hate-speech-before-elections/) Source: VOA http://sabahionline.com/en_GB/articles/hoa/articles/fe http://allafrica.com/stories/201302260664.html plays critical role in Kenya's upcoming elections” News. atures/2012/10/25/feature-01 http://www.english.rfi.fr/node/145424 ?aa_source=sptlgt-grid?aa_source=sptlgt-grid in the Ministry of Information and use of irresponsible and inflammatory language in inflaming tensions. “We will set you on fire the propagation of intemperate and inflammatory Communications Bitange Ndemo. the run up to and immediate aftermath of the before you set us on fire," government spokesman language which could incite another wave of elections," Ndemo said. "To leverage on the Muthui Kariuki warned international journalists at violence. Thus, it became very necessary to check The guidelines required politicians to submit mobile platform and further entrench our a breakfast meeting. and monitor the use of such a new but powerful campaign text messages and political democratic culture and avoid another bloodbath, it media. advertisements for vetting at least two days before has become increasingly urgent to put in place "We believe to a greater extent that (the violence they were sent, aired or broadcasted to the public. this regulatory safeguard to guard against of) 2007-08 was a result of a lot of information The government was alarmed by scattered reports According to the guidelines, Text messages could transmission of hate messages." that journalists wrote and passed on to our of violence and the use of social media to attack only be sent between 8 am and 6 pm, strictly in people," he said. certain groups of people. For instance, the English or Swahili languages and not in any other Mary Ombara, member of the National Steering Somalia-based El Shabaab terrorist group set off languages used by ethnic communities. Committee on Media Monitoring, said the This timely warning came in the light of offensive bombs in the capital of Nairobi, inspiring hate guidelines demanded that all media houses engage and provocative words some online users speech in social media against Kenya’s Muslim "The guidelines also called for all sponsors of only professionally trained journalists in hosting continued to spew in the Kenyan blogosphere. citizens. Ferdinand Waititu, parliamentarian and political messages not only to identify themselves political debates or writing commentaries on They were said to attack opposing tribe members, The National Alliance (TNA) party candidate for but also sign documents to authorise them to send political events in the country. calling them “snakes”, “maggots” and “vultures”, Nairobi governor, was filmed fulminating against the messages and affirm their commitment to among other names on the internet. Clearly, the the Masaai community. Already, violence had abide by the rules," Communication Commision She intimated that professional journalists have a cataclysmic implications of such hostile name- claimed the lives of dozens of people in the of Kenya (CCK) Director Francis said. high level of discretion and responsibility and this calling are not far-fetched. Southeast Tana River district, with Orma herders will limit reports on inflammatory statements and Pokomo farmers attacking one another. "Those who defy these regulations will go to jail," from the politicians. "We will be monitoring for "These [hate speech posts] are actually telling Ndemo told Sabahi. He said anyone who sent compliance," she said. "We do not want to be people to re-enact what happened in 2007, so it's This unfortunate atmosphere of animosity inspired threatening, insulting, abusive or inciting caught flatfooted." 55 very vicious," said Mary Ombara, secretary of and prompted the Kenyan government to messages capable of stirring ethnic hatred using Kenya's media monitoring body who received implement an observation regime against certain their mobile phones and those who violate the The National Cohesion and Integration daily reports on online hate speech. types of hate speech, warn its perpetrators they political advertising rules could face penalty of 1 Commission (NCIC), Independent Electoral and will be watched and cited, and even hired about million shillings ($11,700), a jail term of up to Boundaries Commission (IEBC), 4.8 Why monitor social media? 100 monitors to watch social media sites like three years, or both. 54 Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), Facebook and Twitter for such alleged Those who are no strangers to the experience of the police and the entire mobile incitements to violence. Kenyans during the last 2007 election, and the Ndemo said the guidelines aimed to prevent the telecommunications industry, which developed violence-fraught struggles of Africans continent- violence that engulfed the country after the the guidelines, all helped to enforce the The government had the right to block or close wide to secure more lasting and stable disputed 2007 presidential election in which top regulations. down a site that communicates hate speech, such politicians were accused of inciting violence democracies, are forced to admit that the flames as a Facebook page. Under the 2009 which resulted in the death of more than 1000 and Besides the guidelines, Kenyan authorities also of electoral violence are best quenched not after it Communications Amendment Act, a piece of over 300,000 Kenyans displaced. issued strict warning to journalists and media has been stoked and flared but way before it is legislation about which many Kenyans have some houses concerning their conduct and choice of ignited by inciters with their provocative speech severe reservations, the government can even "According to intelligence reports, the political words in the elections. They cautioned both and conduct. identify or track an inciter to arrest. violence that engulfed various parts of the country traditional and online journalists to be The political violence that engulfed various parts According to Information Permanent Secretary in 2007 and early 2008 was largely a result of the circumspect in choosing their words to avoid of the country in 2007 and early 2008 was largely Dr. Bitange Ndemo, the Government identified a result of the use of irresponsible and 54 Ramah, Rajab (2012).“Kenya to tamp down hate 55 Ramah, Rajab (2012).“Kenya to tamp down hate some blogs, Facebook pages and websites speech as elections near.” SOURCE: speech as elections near.” SOURCE: inflammatory language in the run up to and propagating division among the various ethnic http://sabahionline.com/en_GB/articles/hoa/articles/fe http://sabahionline.com/en_GB/articles/hoa/articles/fe immediate aftermath of the elections. Social communities and hate messages on social media atures/2012/10/25/feature-01 atures/2012/10/25/feature-01 media could dangerously serve as a platform for and mainstream media. Websites that were in the Ministry of Information and use of irresponsible and inflammatory language in inflaming tensions. “We will set you on fire the propagation of intemperate and inflammatory Communications Bitange Ndemo. the run up to and immediate aftermath of the before you set us on fire," government spokesman language which could incite another wave of elections," Ndemo said. "To leverage on the Muthui Kariuki warned international journalists at violence. Thus, it became very necessary to check The guidelines required politicians to submit mobile platform and further entrench our a breakfast meeting. and monitor the use of such a new but powerful campaign text messages and political democratic culture and avoid another bloodbath, it media. advertisements for vetting at least two days before has become increasingly urgent to put in place "We believe to a greater extent that (the violence they were sent, aired or broadcasted to the public. this regulatory safeguard to guard against of) 2007-08 was a result of a lot of information The government was alarmed by scattered reports According to the guidelines, Text messages could transmission of hate messages." that journalists wrote and passed on to our of violence and the use of social media to attack only be sent between 8 am and 6 pm, strictly in people," he said. certain groups of people. For instance, the English or Swahili languages and not in any other Mary Ombara, member of the National Steering Somalia-based El Shabaab terrorist group set off languages used by ethnic communities. Committee on Media Monitoring, said the This timely warning came in the light of offensive bombs in the capital of Nairobi, inspiring hate guidelines demanded that all media houses engage and provocative words some online users speech in social media against Kenya’s Muslim "The guidelines also called for all sponsors of only professionally trained journalists in hosting continued to spew in the Kenyan blogosphere. citizens. Ferdinand Waititu, parliamentarian and political messages not only to identify themselves political debates or writing commentaries on They were said to attack opposing tribe members, The National Alliance (TNA) party candidate for but also sign documents to authorise them to send political events in the country. calling them “snakes”, “maggots” and “vultures”, Nairobi governor, was filmed fulminating against the messages and affirm their commitment to among other names on the internet. Clearly, the the Masaai community. Already, violence had abide by the rules," Communication Commision She intimated that professional journalists have a cataclysmic implications of such hostile name- claimed the lives of dozens of people in the of Kenya (CCK) Director Francis said. high level of discretion and responsibility and this calling are not far-fetched. Southeast Tana River district, with Orma herders will limit reports on inflammatory statements and Pokomo farmers attacking one another. "Those who defy these regulations will go to jail," from the politicians. "We will be monitoring for "These [hate speech posts] are actually telling Ndemo told Sabahi. He said anyone who sent compliance," she said. "We do not want to be people to re-enact what happened in 2007, so it's This unfortunate atmosphere of animosity inspired threatening, insulting, abusive or inciting caught flatfooted." 55 very vicious," said Mary Ombara, secretary of and prompted the Kenyan government to messages capable of stirring ethnic hatred using Kenya's media monitoring body who received implement an observation regime against certain their mobile phones and those who violate the The National Cohesion and Integration daily reports on online hate speech. types of hate speech, warn its perpetrators they political advertising rules could face penalty of 1 Commission (NCIC), Independent Electoral and will be watched and cited, and even hired about million shillings ($11,700), a jail term of up to Boundaries Commission (IEBC), 4.8 Why monitor social media? 100 monitors to watch social media sites like three years, or both. 54 Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), Facebook and Twitter for such alleged Those who are no strangers to the experience of the police and the entire mobile incitements to violence. Kenyans during the last 2007 election, and the Ndemo said the guidelines aimed to prevent the telecommunications industry, which developed violence-fraught struggles of Africans continent- violence that engulfed the country after the the guidelines, all helped to enforce the The government had the right to block or close wide to secure more lasting and stable disputed 2007 presidential election in which top regulations. down a site that communicates hate speech, such politicians were accused of inciting violence democracies, are forced to admit that the flames as a Facebook page. Under the 2009 which resulted in the death of more than 1000 and Besides the guidelines, Kenyan authorities also of electoral violence are best quenched not after it Communications Amendment Act, a piece of over 300,000 Kenyans displaced. issued strict warning to journalists and media has been stoked and flared but way before it is legislation about which many Kenyans have some houses concerning their conduct and choice of ignited by inciters with their provocative speech severe reservations, the government can even "According to intelligence reports, the political words in the elections. They cautioned both and conduct. identify or track an inciter to arrest. violence that engulfed various parts of the country traditional and online journalists to be The political violence that engulfed various parts According to Information Permanent Secretary in 2007 and early 2008 was largely a result of the circumspect in choosing their words to avoid of the country in 2007 and early 2008 was largely Dr. Bitange Ndemo, the Government identified a result of the use of irresponsible and 54 Ramah, Rajab (2012).“Kenya to tamp down hate 55 Ramah, Rajab (2012).“Kenya to tamp down hate some blogs, Facebook pages and websites speech as elections near.” SOURCE: speech as elections near.” SOURCE: inflammatory language in the run up to and propagating division among the various ethnic http://sabahionline.com/en_GB/articles/hoa/articles/fe http://sabahionline.com/en_GB/articles/hoa/articles/fe immediate aftermath of the elections. Social communities and hate messages on social media atures/2012/10/25/feature-01 atures/2012/10/25/feature-01 media could dangerously serve as a platform for and mainstream media. Websites that were identified by the government for allegedly Benesch’s work. Dangerous speech is defined as a information, the people will have it. This is 5.0 INTERACTIVE MEDIA AND propagating division and the posting of hate subset of hate speech which has the potential to especially important to the growing middle class, speech by its users included Mashada.com, catalyze violence. Hate speech can be vile and educated Kenyans, who believe they should be SOCIAL APPLICATIONS (Apps) Kenyanlist.com, The Kenyan Daily Post, and the ugly, but may not be ‘dangerous speech.’” able to hold their leaders accountable”. IN THE KENYA ELECTIONS Facebook pages 1,000,000 Likes To Stop Raila and Kalonzo From Winning 2013 Election and Umati and the relevant government institutions Furthermore, there’s a civic education element to The Kenyan national elections saw the explosion STOP Uhuru Kenyatta NOW.56 were doing everything possible to protect the the whole monitoring exercise as well. Through of not only new media but also social media and freedom of speech because it is their project aims monitoring, false alarms and information that are mobile phone applications that were generally The administrators and bloggers responsible to limit dangerous speech while avoiding circulated online can be identified, its authenticity intended to provide timely information on the would be arraigned in court as evidence against excessive restrictions by not trampling on one of critically examined and its claims vehemently electoral process and other relevant civic the culprits was handed over to the National the key fundamental human rights of the people as disproved, debunked and denounced. “Together, information about the general elections as well as Cohesion and Integration Commission, the Kenya enshrined in the constitution. we can disprove myths that are being retweeted or activities of the presidential and other political Police and the Communications Commission of otherwise pushed around online,” Crandall said. aspirants such as the presidential debate, Kenya. 4.9 The Lack of Political Will campaign tours, and political rallies. A significant case in point is when some Kenyans Though a lot of people are suspicious of the whole The power of technology especially social media posted blatant and shameful falsehood on Twitter These interventions were necessary to open up the process of monitoring speech and taking legal in tracking down inciters of violence is just after a Muslim cleric was killed in Mombasa. One election process with vital information to prevent measures against it since in their view it is phenomenal. Social media facilitated the of the memes that became very popular was the a replay of the disputed 2007 elections which tantamount to censorship and tyranny, the need to identification of MP Ferdinand Waititu as an claim that Muslims had set one of Mombasa’s resulted in widespread ethnic violence. It created maintain free, fair and transparent elections is alleged inciter of ethnic violence through a Christian churches on fire. Interestingly, the important democratic platforms where voters indisputably paramount. Umati, the national popular video clip taken by a rally witness on his director of the Whitesands Hotel in Mombasa could keep up with election proceedings and cohesion and integration commission, the ministry mobile phone. He was captured in raging against went out to church that was supposedly burning meaningfully participate in the political process of information and the other stakeholders, had a the Masaai community. Yet, he still remained in and photographed it. The church was fine. He through dialogue and thus be a part of the whole great task in making sure that the freedom of office and nothing was done to him. posted the photo, saying, “Stop the lies!” electoral process. speech as a constitutional right of all persons was not abused at the expense of the national peace Obviously, it is one thing tracking down inciters The Kenyan general elections were never under- The social apps ranged from multiple elections- and unity in the discharge of their duties. and another bringing them to justice. It seems the reported, thanks to social media. From the related apps like social media, games , and SMS- government lacks the political will to prosecute beginning of the elections to the end, whatever based apps which encouraged a peaceful election In order to make sure that the freedom of speech perpetrators especially if they belong to the elite happened – good or evil – was captured and process, to crowd-sourced incident reporting sites was not squelched, monitoring agencies worked class. Thus, many wonder if it is even important scrutinized by a mobile-equipped, tool-rich and which enabled citizens to participate in the hard to differentiate “dangerous speech” from to monitor hate speech when apparently the social media-craze society. It is no wonder that monitoring process by reporting cases of potential “hate speech” and other types of speech. For government lacks the political will to do anything the success of the elections was trumpeted to the or actual violence. Among the many apps instance, Umati was crafting a five-part process of tangible with the information collected. world by the country’s proud voters – using those launched during the elections included The defining “dangerous speech, and of differentiating same technological instruments and social media, Google Elections Hub, Kenya Election Youtube But there is a brighter side to it. Though the it from hate speech, based on Prof. Susan which is fast becoming part and parcel of the Channel, Election Kenya Portal, Track All and government may have a very limited will to economic, social and political fabric of the The Election Thief App Game, just to mention a 56 Omondi, Jeff (January 10, 2013). “List of Blogs and prosecute offenders, the general public can make country. few. Facebook Pages on Government Watchlist Over Hate well-informed decision based on the information Speech”http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search gleaned from social media. Google also unveiled 7 Apps built by Kenyan ?q=cache:a2SoZNVQ4JIJ:www.ghafla.co.ke/news/events students which focused on the General elections57. /item/6421-list-of-blogs-and-facebook-pages-on- Ms. Angela Crandall, who is the research manager government-s-watchlist-over-hate- for iHub, particularly favors this point. She speech+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=gh 57 Kachwanya (February 20, 2013). “Google unveils argues: “if we collect and aggregate this Election Based Mobile Applications Developed by identified by the government for allegedly Benesch’s work. Dangerous speech is defined as a information, the people will have it. This is 5.0 INTERACTIVE MEDIA AND propagating division and the posting of hate subset of hate speech which has the potential to especially important to the growing middle class, speech by its users included Mashada.com, catalyze violence. Hate speech can be vile and educated Kenyans, who believe they should be SOCIAL APPLICATIONS (Apps) Kenyanlist.com, The Kenyan Daily Post, and the ugly, but may not be ‘dangerous speech.’” able to hold their leaders accountable”. IN THE KENYA ELECTIONS Facebook pages 1,000,000 Likes To Stop Raila and Kalonzo From Winning 2013 Election and Umati and the relevant government institutions Furthermore, there’s a civic education element to The Kenyan national elections saw the explosion STOP Uhuru Kenyatta NOW.56 were doing everything possible to protect the the whole monitoring exercise as well. Through of not only new media but also social media and freedom of speech because it is their project aims monitoring, false alarms and information that are mobile phone applications that were generally The administrators and bloggers responsible to limit dangerous speech while avoiding circulated online can be identified, its authenticity intended to provide timely information on the would be arraigned in court as evidence against excessive restrictions by not trampling on one of critically examined and its claims vehemently electoral process and other relevant civic the culprits was handed over to the National the key fundamental human rights of the people as disproved, debunked and denounced. “Together, information about the general elections as well as Cohesion and Integration Commission, the Kenya enshrined in the constitution. we can disprove myths that are being retweeted or activities of the presidential and other political Police and the Communications Commission of otherwise pushed around online,” Crandall said. aspirants such as the presidential debate, Kenya. 4.9 The Lack of Political Will campaign tours, and political rallies. A significant case in point is when some Kenyans Though a lot of people are suspicious of the whole The power of technology especially social media posted blatant and shameful falsehood on Twitter These interventions were necessary to open up the process of monitoring speech and taking legal in tracking down inciters of violence is just after a Muslim cleric was killed in Mombasa. One election process with vital information to prevent measures against it since in their view it is phenomenal. Social media facilitated the of the memes that became very popular was the a replay of the disputed 2007 elections which tantamount to censorship and tyranny, the need to identification of MP Ferdinand Waititu as an claim that Muslims had set one of Mombasa’s resulted in widespread ethnic violence. It created maintain free, fair and transparent elections is alleged inciter of ethnic violence through a Christian churches on fire. Interestingly, the important democratic platforms where voters indisputably paramount. Umati, the national popular video clip taken by a rally witness on his director of the Whitesands Hotel in Mombasa could keep up with election proceedings and cohesion and integration commission, the ministry mobile phone. He was captured in raging against went out to church that was supposedly burning meaningfully participate in the political process of information and the other stakeholders, had a the Masaai community. Yet, he still remained in and photographed it. The church was fine. He through dialogue and thus be a part of the whole great task in making sure that the freedom of office and nothing was done to him. posted the photo, saying, “Stop the lies!” electoral process. speech as a constitutional right of all persons was not abused at the expense of the national peace Obviously, it is one thing tracking down inciters The Kenyan general elections were never under- The social apps ranged from multiple elections- and unity in the discharge of their duties. and another bringing them to justice. It seems the reported, thanks to social media. From the related apps like social media, games , and SMS- government lacks the political will to prosecute beginning of the elections to the end, whatever based apps which encouraged a peaceful election In order to make sure that the freedom of speech perpetrators especially if they belong to the elite happened – good or evil – was captured and process, to crowd-sourced incident reporting sites was not squelched, monitoring agencies worked class. Thus, many wonder if it is even important scrutinized by a mobile-equipped, tool-rich and which enabled citizens to participate in the hard to differentiate “dangerous speech” from to monitor hate speech when apparently the social media-craze society. It is no wonder that monitoring process by reporting cases of potential “hate speech” and other types of speech. For government lacks the political will to do anything the success of the elections was trumpeted to the or actual violence. Among the many apps instance, Umati was crafting a five-part process of tangible with the information collected. world by the country’s proud voters – using those launched during the elections included The defining “dangerous speech, and of differentiating same technological instruments and social media, Google Elections Hub, Kenya Election Youtube But there is a brighter side to it. Though the it from hate speech, based on Prof. Susan which is fast becoming part and parcel of the Channel, Election Kenya Portal, Track All and government may have a very limited will to economic, social and political fabric of the The Election Thief App Game, just to mention a 56 Omondi, Jeff (January 10, 2013). “List of Blogs and prosecute offenders, the general public can make country. few. Facebook Pages on Government Watchlist Over Hate well-informed decision based on the information Speech”http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search gleaned from social media. Google also unveiled 7 Apps built by Kenyan ?q=cache:a2SoZNVQ4JIJ:www.ghafla.co.ke/news/events students which focused on the General elections57. /item/6421-list-of-blogs-and-facebook-pages-on- Ms. Angela Crandall, who is the research manager government-s-watchlist-over-hate- for iHub, particularly favors this point. She speech+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=gh 57 Kachwanya (February 20, 2013). “Google unveils argues: “if we collect and aggregate this Election Based Mobile Applications Developed by The apps were based on the 5 thematic areas of development with its Kenya Elections Hub as the "Overall, I see it as a good initiative," said Patrick relations manager for Sub-Saharan Africa Civic Education; Party and Politicians; Lifestyle; country got ready for the general election. Google Mayoyo, the deputy news editor of the Daily commented. Resource Monitoring; and the Electoral process. decided to launch the Kenya Elections Hub before Nation, Kenya’s highest-circulating newspaper. They were designed to reach as many Kenyans as the elections in order to add to the various sources The launch of the Hub was just one of a string of possible, and were to help them monitor the of election-related information and to also provide While most analysts welcomed the platform as an initiatives on the part of Google to assist the elections closely, locate important resource reliable statistics about the leading candidates.59 independent alternative, some warn it had country in its election process – having already centers such as polling stations, and report any significant weaknesses. One of the weaknesses of provided the IEDC with open source technology emergent issues. All the apps were available on The Kenya Elections Hub was launched by the portal was that, it was essentially aggregating for the online voter system; and having also ilabafrica.ac.ke and Google Play. The apps Google Kenya to facilitate the dissemination of what had been published by the local media which provided training to political parties, civil society include: Spotlight, Tukumbuke, Jijulishe, information related to the country’s elections. The led to information redundancy. and the media on the most effective use of online Hub operated through an online portal where tools to support the elections. Wenyenchi, Raslimali, Opinion Yetu and Game However, it offered an opportunity for Kenyans to Play.58 Kenyans accessed information regarding the elections, including news updates, information on interact directly with the candidates, offered Figure 5.2: Kenya Election 2013 Youtube One reason the projects and tools have increased candidates and campaigns, and prevalent trends trending on key issues and how they were Channel so greatly is the penetration of wired minds in across the country.60 addressed by candidates. It also offered daily, Kenya. There were 8 million mobile users in weekly and monthly search trends on candidates The elections in Kenya were most closely 2007; there are now more than 30 million. The People were informed about the new electoral based on volume, mentions in articles and blog watched according to Google. Since the last number of Internet users in Kenya has also risen. system that was significantly reformed with a posts and YouTube video views. elections in 2007/08, explosion of social media number of changes in electoral boundaries, seats saw Kenya’s elections brought to the world real According to the Communications Commission of The commentators were, however, cautious on the Kenya (CCK), there are almost 14 million active available, and procedural and regulatory reforms time for the first time ever via YouTube. In pursuant to the country’s new constitution, which number of Kenyans who would benefit from the conjunction with Ireland-based social news internet users (July – September 2012). Majority 61 hub. "I wonder whether the people who really of Kenyans are said to access the internet through was implemented in 2010. agency Storyful, YouTube has launched a need this information, largely the rural folks, will dedicated Kenya Election 2013 channel. 62 their cellphones.Mobile data/Internet "The hub will provide a powerful platform for get it because of lack of internet access there," subscriptions rose by 82.7 percent in 2011/12 national dialogue and debate of electoral said Mr. Kenyans and the world accessed live-streams on from 4.1 million subscriptions in 2010/11. Below reforms," said King’ori Choto, a Nairobi-based Otieno. elections after Google and Storyful launched a is an overview of some of the main apps in the media specialist and public relations practitioner. dedicated channel on YouTube that curated 2013 Kenyan General elections. Alfred Otieno, a media expert at Alpex The hub election-related content across the video- was 63 Figure 5.1: The Kenya Elections Hub Consulting Africa, said what Kenyans required streaming site. was real-time information to reduce incidents of expected Social media has become the preferred source of misinformation that often led to violence. to help According to Google, the channel was breaking news for many a Kenyan. It is no balance necessitated by the desire to stimulate debate and the promote understanding of political issues and wonder that Google tapped into this significant 59 Steve Mbogo, (January 14, 2013). Google launches propaganda that supporters of presidential trends among the electorate. election portal for Kenyan candidates have been spreading via the internet. University Students” votershttp://www.bdlive.co.za/world/africa/2013 http://www.kachwanya.com/google-unveils-election- /01/14/google-launches-election-portal-for- “We’re empowering voters so that they are not 62 based-mobile-applications-developed-by-university- Wetherell, Julia (February 5, 2013) “YouTube , students/ kenyan-voters simply watching from afar, but participating in, Launches Dedicated Channel for Kenya Elections 58 Kachwanya (February 20, 2013). “Google unveils 60 Ventures Africa, “Google Launches Kenya Elections engaging with and shaping the political process in Coverage”http://techpresident.com/news/wegov/2346 Election Based Mobile Applications Developed by Hub”http://www.venturesafrica.com/2013/01/google- a democratic way, through platforms like 2/kenyan-elections-get-new-youtube-hub launches-kenya-elections-hub/ 63 University Students.” ( YouTube, Google Maps and Google+,” Ory Mbote, Kamau (January 31, 2013). “YouTube launches http://www.kachwanya.com/google-unveils-election- 61 Ventures Africa, “Google Launches Kenya Elections Kenya election channel” Okolloh, Google’s policy and government based-mobile-applications-developed-by-university- Hub”http://www.venturesafrica.com/2013/01/google- http://www.humanipo.com/news/3652/YouTube- students/) launches-kenya-elections-hub/ launches-Kenya-election-channel The apps were based on the 5 thematic areas of development with its Kenya Elections Hub as the "Overall, I see it as a good initiative," said Patrick relations manager for Sub-Saharan Africa Civic Education; Party and Politicians; Lifestyle; country got ready for the general election. Google Mayoyo, the deputy news editor of the Daily commented. Resource Monitoring; and the Electoral process. decided to launch the Kenya Elections Hub before Nation, Kenya’s highest-circulating newspaper. They were designed to reach as many Kenyans as the elections in order to add to the various sources The launch of the Hub was just one of a string of possible, and were to help them monitor the of election-related information and to also provide While most analysts welcomed the platform as an initiatives on the part of Google to assist the elections closely, locate important resource reliable statistics about the leading candidates.59 independent alternative, some warn it had country in its election process – having already centers such as polling stations, and report any significant weaknesses. One of the weaknesses of provided the IEDC with open source technology emergent issues. All the apps were available on The Kenya Elections Hub was launched by the portal was that, it was essentially aggregating for the online voter system; and having also ilabafrica.ac.ke and Google Play. The apps Google Kenya to facilitate the dissemination of what had been published by the local media which provided training to political parties, civil society include: Spotlight, Tukumbuke, Jijulishe, information related to the country’s elections. The led to information redundancy. and the media on the most effective use of online Hub operated through an online portal where tools to support the elections. Wenyenchi, Raslimali, Opinion Yetu and Game However, it offered an opportunity for Kenyans to Play.58 Kenyans accessed information regarding the elections, including news updates, information on interact directly with the candidates, offered Figure 5.2: Kenya Election 2013 Youtube One reason the projects and tools have increased candidates and campaigns, and prevalent trends trending on key issues and how they were Channel so greatly is the penetration of wired minds in across the country.60 addressed by candidates. It also offered daily, Kenya. There were 8 million mobile users in weekly and monthly search trends on candidates The elections in Kenya were most closely 2007; there are now more than 30 million. The People were informed about the new electoral based on volume, mentions in articles and blog watched according to Google. Since the last number of Internet users in Kenya has also risen. system that was significantly reformed with a posts and YouTube video views. elections in 2007/08, explosion of social media number of changes in electoral boundaries, seats saw Kenya’s elections brought to the world real According to the Communications Commission of The commentators were, however, cautious on the Kenya (CCK), there are almost 14 million active available, and procedural and regulatory reforms time for the first time ever via YouTube. In pursuant to the country’s new constitution, which number of Kenyans who would benefit from the conjunction with Ireland-based social news internet users (July – September 2012). Majority 61 hub. "I wonder whether the people who really of Kenyans are said to access the internet through was implemented in 2010. agency Storyful, YouTube has launched a need this information, largely the rural folks, will dedicated Kenya Election 2013 channel. 62 their cellphones.Mobile data/Internet "The hub will provide a powerful platform for get it because of lack of internet access there," subscriptions rose by 82.7 percent in 2011/12 national dialogue and debate of electoral said Mr. Kenyans and the world accessed live-streams on from 4.1 million subscriptions in 2010/11. Below reforms," said King’ori Choto, a Nairobi-based Otieno. elections after Google and Storyful launched a is an overview of some of the main apps in the media specialist and public relations practitioner. dedicated channel on YouTube that curated 2013 Kenyan General elections. Alfred Otieno, a media expert at Alpex The hub election-related content across the video- was streaming site.63 Figure 5.1: The Kenya Elections Hub Consulting Africa, said what Kenyans required was real-time information to reduce incidents of expected Social media has become the preferred source of misinformation that often led to violence. to help According to Google, the channel was breaking news for many a Kenyan. It is no balance necessitated by the desire to stimulate debate and the promote understanding of political issues and wonder that Google tapped into this significant 59 Steve Mbogo, (January 14, 2013). Google launches propaganda that supporters of presidential trends among the electorate. election portal for Kenyan candidates have been spreading via the internet. University Students” votershttp://www.bdlive.co.za/world/africa/2013 http://www.kachwanya.com/google-unveils-election- /01/14/google-launches-election-portal-for- “We’re empowering voters so that they are not 62 based-mobile-applications-developed-by-university- Wetherell, Julia (February 5, 2013) “YouTube , students/ kenyan-voters simply watching from afar, but participating in, Launches Dedicated Channel for Kenya Elections 58 Kachwanya (February 20, 2013). “Google unveils 60 Ventures Africa, “Google Launches Kenya Elections engaging with and shaping the political process in Coverage”http://techpresident.com/news/wegov/2346 Election Based Mobile Applications Developed by Hub”http://www.venturesafrica.com/2013/01/google- a democratic way, through platforms like 2/kenyan-elections-get-new-youtube-hub launches-kenya-elections-hub/ 63 University Students.” ( YouTube, Google Maps and Google+,” Ory Mbote, Kamau (January 31, 2013). “YouTube launches http://www.kachwanya.com/google-unveils-election- 61 Ventures Africa, “Google Launches Kenya Elections Kenya election channel” Okolloh, Google’s policy and government based-mobile-applications-developed-by-university- Hub”http://www.venturesafrica.com/2013/01/google- http://www.humanipo.com/news/3652/YouTube- students/) launches-kenya-elections-hub/ launches-Kenya-election-channel “Through the launch of the YouTube channel, reports and general public remarks about them on and leadership before, during and after the voters were able to follow the latest news and Facebook and Twitter during the elections. elections. trends on the political scene, and engage with African Laughter, a new media firm in Kenya each other. Information drives the decisions we launched it. The Android-based game challenges users to make on a day-to-day basis, and we remain track down and chase a bad guy who has stolen committed to and are keen on sharing as much of Besides politics, the application also tracks public the votes during the presidential elections. Players it as possible with the public,” said Ory Okolloh, comments regarding general issues like take on the character of Omu, an ordinary citizen. Google Policy Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa. infrastructure and amenities. Track All analyses The developers intend the game to be a fun way As Kenya approached its most hi-tech polls, these comments and informs the monitors about of highlighting poignant issues such as peaceful Storyful captured the best online footage from another election portal was launched detailing all posts - positive or negative - relating to the voting and the importance of fair leadership 65 Kenya as the country was immersed in the process news from different media houses. subject monitored. within all levels of Kenyan society, in the lead up of choosing its next leader. By maintaining a to the elections. Released by Eziki TV, the new Election Kenya dedicated YouTube channel for the Kenya 2013 “With this phone app, we’ve opened media portal highlighted news from the eight elections, news, views and grassroot reporting monitoring directly to all who need it, made it “The challenge, the story, the game-play and the presidential candidates, namely RailaOdinga, from the election trail was brought together by effortless, and built software that analyses what’s artwork intertwine and work together to give the Uhuru Kenyatta, Musalia Mudavadi, Peter Storyful in one convenient online portal, with being said for its impact” according to Jenny player fun as well as subtly pushing them to think Kenneth, Martha Karua, James Ole Kiyaipi, Paul playlists capturing some of the most important Luesby, who is the managing director of African about more serious things such as the importance Muite and Mohammed Dida. democratic themes. Laughter Limited. of peace, and the role of leadership in society,” Brian Kinyua, Lead Programmer at UoG, told The aim of the Election Kenya portal was to give The YouTube channel also hosted the live-streams The firm’s Business Development Director, HumanIPO. Explaining UoG’s wishes regarding balanced news on what was happening regarding of Kenya’s first ever presidential debate series Alakie Asige said, “We believe these features of the impact of Election Thief, Kinyua said the the general elections. It also made it easier for which aired on the 11th February at 7 pm on TV real-time updating and a phone-embedded system company hopes to contribute to a considered and users to navigate from one newspaper to the next and radio channels. Voters monitored and represent a first in reputation monitoring, pushing informed choice in the elections by voters. on political issues. participated in the conversation using the most Track All ahead of anything else in the market and creating a tool that will enable campaigners to “We hope that people will be able to judge for popular hash tags in the Kenyan twitter sphere. The portal also highlighted the trending topics see instantly the feedback on any event or rally”. themselves what good leadership is. We hope that discussed on the new social media and the “The online space is an increasingly important they will no longer be hypnotized and conventional media. Under the header, it tool for outreach, engagement and reflection Figure 5.4: The Election Thief Game App manipulated into doing things that will not benefit highlighted the hash tags that grouped different during the political process. Platforms such as them. We hope that they will make the right new topics. Youtube will become key to leaders vying for choices,” he said. elective positions as well as voters looking for 5.1 TRACK ALL 5.2 UCHAGUZI specific information,” said Storyful’s managing One of the social applications that were launched director Markham Nolan.64 66 to aid the election process is “Track All” . Track Uchaguzi, a project of the citizen-reporting All is a phone-based monitoring application that Figure 5.3: Elections Kenya Portal organization Ushahidi, was an ambitious and very enabled candidates and politicians to track items, interesting hate-speech monitoring effort and issued regular reports during the election. Unlike 65 Matinde, Vince (February 22, 2013). “New elections Kenyan developers, University of Games (UoG), in many of the instances of the platform where portal launched in created election-themed game app Election there is no feedback loop or action after a report is Kenya”http://www.humanipo.com/news/4170/New- 67 Thief in a bid to prompt consideration of peace submitted by a citizen, Uchaguzi installed a 64 “Kenya: online community galvanised to cover elections-portal-launched-in-Kenya elections”http://www.itnewsafrica.com/2013/02/keny 66 “Social Application, “Track All” to help track Kenya’s 67 a-online-community-galvenised-to-cover- Elections”http://www.cpafrica.com/2012/09/20/social Mulligan, Gabriella (February 28, Kenyahttp://www.humanipo.com/news/4305/Election- -media-to-enhance-kenyan-elections/ elections/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter 2013).Election Thief game app launches in Thief-game-app-launches-in-Kenya “Through the launch of the YouTube channel, reports and general public remarks about them on and leadership before, during and after the voters were able to follow the latest news and Facebook and Twitter during the elections. elections. trends on the political scene, and engage with African Laughter, a new media firm in Kenya each other. Information drives the decisions we launched it. The Android-based game challenges users to make on a day-to-day basis, and we remain track down and chase a bad guy who has stolen committed to and are keen on sharing as much of Besides politics, the application also tracks public the votes during the presidential elections. Players it as possible with the public,” said Ory Okolloh, comments regarding general issues like take on the character of Omu, an ordinary citizen. Google Policy Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa. infrastructure and amenities. Track All analyses The developers intend the game to be a fun way As Kenya approached its most hi-tech polls, these comments and informs the monitors about of highlighting poignant issues such as peaceful Storyful captured the best online footage from another election portal was launched detailing all posts - positive or negative - relating to the voting and the importance of fair leadership 65 Kenya as the country was immersed in the process news from different media houses. subject monitored. within all levels of Kenyan society, in the lead up of choosing its next leader. By maintaining a to the elections. Released by Eziki TV, the new Election Kenya dedicated YouTube channel for the Kenya 2013 “With this phone app, we’ve opened media portal highlighted news from the eight elections, news, views and grassroot reporting monitoring directly to all who need it, made it “The challenge, the story, the game-play and the presidential candidates, namely RailaOdinga, from the election trail was brought together by effortless, and built software that analyses what’s artwork intertwine and work together to give the Uhuru Kenyatta, Musalia Mudavadi, Peter Storyful in one convenient online portal, with being said for its impact” according to Jenny player fun as well as subtly pushing them to think Kenneth, Martha Karua, James Ole Kiyaipi, Paul playlists capturing some of the most important Luesby, who is the managing director of African about more serious things such as the importance Muite and Mohammed Dida. democratic themes. Laughter Limited. of peace, and the role of leadership in society,” Brian Kinyua, Lead Programmer at UoG, told The aim of the Election Kenya portal was to give The YouTube channel also hosted the live-streams The firm’s Business Development Director, HumanIPO. Explaining UoG’s wishes regarding balanced news on what was happening regarding of Kenya’s first ever presidential debate series Alakie Asige said, “We believe these features of the impact of Election Thief, Kinyua said the the general elections. It also made it easier for which aired on the 11th February at 7 pm on TV real-time updating and a phone-embedded system company hopes to contribute to a considered and users to navigate from one newspaper to the next and radio channels. Voters monitored and represent a first in reputation monitoring, pushing informed choice in the elections by voters. on political issues. participated in the conversation using the most Track All ahead of anything else in the market and creating a tool that will enable campaigners to “We hope that people will be able to judge for popular hash tags in the Kenyan twitter sphere. The portal also highlighted the trending topics see instantly the feedback on any event or rally”. themselves what good leadership is. We hope that discussed on the new social media and the “The online space is an increasingly important they will no longer be hypnotized and conventional media. Under the header, it tool for outreach, engagement and reflection Figure 5.4: The Election Thief Game App manipulated into doing things that will not benefit highlighted the hash tags that grouped different during the political process. Platforms such as them. We hope that they will make the right new topics. Youtube will become key to leaders vying for choices,” he said. elective positions as well as voters looking for 5.1 TRACK ALL 5.2 UCHAGUZI specific information,” said Storyful’s managing One of the social applications that were launched director Markham Nolan.64 66 to aid the election process is “Track All” . Track Uchaguzi, a project of the citizen-reporting All is a phone-based monitoring application that Figure 5.3: Elections Kenya Portal organization Ushahidi, was an ambitious and very enabled candidates and politicians to track items, interesting hate-speech monitoring effort and issued regular reports during the election. Unlike 65 Matinde, Vince (February 22, 2013). “New elections Kenyan developers, University of Games (UoG), in many of the instances of the platform where portal launched in created election-themed game app Election there is no feedback loop or action after a report is Kenya”http://www.humanipo.com/news/4170/New- 67 Thief in a bid to prompt consideration of peace submitted by a citizen, Uchaguzi installed a 64 “Kenya: online community galvanised to cover elections-portal-launched-in-Kenya elections”http://www.itnewsafrica.com/2013/02/keny 66 “Social Application, “Track All” to help track Kenya’s 67 a-online-community-galvenised-to-cover- Elections”http://www.cpafrica.com/2012/09/20/social Mulligan, Gabriella (February 28, Kenyahttp://www.humanipo.com/news/4305/Election- -media-to-enhance-kenyan-elections/ elections/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter 2013).Election Thief game app launches in Thief-game-app-launches-in-Kenya http://sitroom.uchaguzi.co.ke "> situation room to wildfire in 2008 and fanned the flames of violence interactive SMS 'Speak' platform that allowed 5.4 THE IEBC’s INTERACTIVE MAP verify any threatening aberration and forward — and helped maintain peace. citizen voices to be heard, and interactive poll them to election authorities68. Ushahidi deployed data. Al Jazeera employed both voice and SMS Uchaguzi was another crowdsourcing platform Uchaguzi to “contribute to stability in Kenya by technologies to aid its extensive coverage and The Independent Electoral and Boundaries that enabled citizens with access to SMS, Twitter, increasing transparency and accountability citizen reporting of the Just concluded Kenyan Commission (IEBC) put up (with some help from email, or Facebook to report incidents of illegal through active citizen participation in the electoral elections. Google) an interactive map and SMS service for activities, hate speech and poll violence. There cycles”. people to find their voter registration stations, was also a media monitoring team who scanned Al Jazeera used Interactive Voice Response (IVR) registration status, and polling station on Election Twitter, Facebook, blogs, mainstream media and Figure 5.5: A screenshot of Uchaguzi technology to create an additional interface to Day. It also included a candidate finder69. The other sources for any other information that could connect feature phones to the web. Its voice IEBC’s partnership with Google was “to provide become a report in the system. service allowed people with basic feature phones open source technology powering their online to listen to, interact with and create citizen reports The team then verified the reports before voter tools, including registration confirmation for Al Jazeera via low-end handsets without any responding to them by “getting verified online and over SMS, mapping the polling need for a data plan. “The concept is to connect information to organizations and individuals who stations, and a developer API.” with audiences that are offline and often off grid, can intervene positively and monitoring that people who Al Jazeera cannot often access or hear 5.5 GOtToVOTE response to measure its effectiveness”. Among from,” says Cynara Vetch the project manager of other things, it connected on-the-ground reports Al Jazeera Voices. Uchaguzi was Ushahidi’s primary project for the with law enforcement officials. Kenyan elections. The purpose of the project was “putting citizens back at the heart of the Eight separate teams uploaded data and verified The Al Jazeera Voices system has been built in electoral process." Uchaguzi, which means reports so that Uchaguzi could present quick, collaboration with the World Wide Web "elections" in Swahili, served as a platform that accurate and diverse election-related information Foundation and was rolled out with various enabled citizens to monitor the electoral process for reporters. Daily blogs and Twitter messages community partners. Subscribers on the by reporting issues such as intimidation, hate were also released which contextualized what the Safaricom network in Kenya could access the speech, and polling clerk bias. data on the Uchaguzi map was showing. service by calling a toll-free number. Kenyan Voices received 2066 calls, with the callers Ushahidi staff members and volunteers verified There are many other efforts that aggregated listening to 942 bulletins and leaving 609 reports. the reports and sent them to electoral authorities social media on #kenyadecides. One was GotToVote is a Code4Kenya pilot project, or security personnel on the ground for action. Crowdvoice's election-related aggregation. “ oices is one solution in bridging the gap managed by OI, on behalf of the African Media During the elections, Ushahidi deployed over 200 between vocal, connected voices whose stories are Initiative (AMI) and the World Bank. It was volunteers locally to respond to reports, and 5.3 AL JAZEERA having an impact on the media through social originally built in just 24hrs to help voters register worked with over 1,000 crisis mappers media and those that still remain relatively for the elections, after citizens complained that the internationally for around-the-clock coverage. unheard because they don’t have the same official data released by the IBEC was too large to access,” says Vetch. download and too cumbersome to use. Uchaguzi provided an alternative outlet to violence and helped deal with tensions He added: “ oice offers a comfortable way to Code4Kenya developed the open-data GotToVote experienced during elections. It was used to verify communicate, in the region there is a huge site to help Kenyans locate their nearest voter reports, debunk rumors — which spread like appetite for radio so audio content and interaction registration center. Also, Kenyan voters were able is already in demand”. 69 kverclas (March 4, 2013). “Kenya Decides - The Kenya 68 kverclas (March 4, 2013). “Kenya Decides - The Kenya Al Jazeera English introduced a great interactive Election, Mobiles, and Interactive Media” Election, Mobiles, and Interactive Media” http://demworks.org/node/658 http://demworks.org/node/658 dashboard with candidate information, an http://sitroom.uchaguzi.co.ke "> situation room to wildfire in 2008 and fanned the flames of violence interactive SMS 'Speak' platform that allowed 5.4 THE IEBC’s INTERACTIVE MAP verify any threatening aberration and forward — and helped maintain peace. citizen voices to be heard, and interactive poll them to election authorities68. Ushahidi deployed data. Al Jazeera employed both voice and SMS Uchaguzi was another crowdsourcing platform Uchaguzi to “contribute to stability in Kenya by technologies to aid its extensive coverage and The Independent Electoral and Boundaries that enabled citizens with access to SMS, Twitter, increasing transparency and accountability citizen reporting of the Just concluded Kenyan Commission (IEBC) put up (with some help from email, or Facebook to report incidents of illegal through active citizen participation in the electoral elections. Google) an interactive map and SMS service for activities, hate speech and poll violence. There cycles”. people to find their voter registration stations, was also a media monitoring team who scanned Al Jazeera used Interactive Voice Response (IVR) registration status, and polling station on Election Twitter, Facebook, blogs, mainstream media and Figure 5.5: A screenshot of Uchaguzi technology to create an additional interface to Day. It also included a candidate finder69. The other sources for any other information that could connect feature phones to the web. Its voice IEBC’s partnership with Google was “to provide become a report in the system. service allowed people with basic feature phones open source technology powering their online to listen to, interact with and create citizen reports The team then verified the reports before voter tools, including registration confirmation for Al Jazeera via low-end handsets without any responding to them by “getting verified online and over SMS, mapping the polling need for a data plan. “The concept is to connect information to organizations and individuals who stations, and a developer API.” with audiences that are offline and often off grid, can intervene positively and monitoring that people who Al Jazeera cannot often access or hear 5.5 GOtToVOTE response to measure its effectiveness”. Among from,” says Cynara Vetch the project manager of other things, it connected on-the-ground reports Al Jazeera Voices. Uchaguzi was Ushahidi’s primary project for the with law enforcement officials. Kenyan elections. The purpose of the project The Al Jazeera Voices system has been built in was “putting citizens back at the heart of the Eight separate teams uploaded data and verified collaboration with the World Wide Web electoral process." Uchaguzi, which means reports so that Uchaguzi could present quick, Foundation and was rolled out with various "elections" in Swahili, served as a platform that accurate and diverse election-related information community partners. Subscribers on the enabled citizens to monitor the electoral process for reporters. Daily blogs and Twitter messages Safaricom network in Kenya could access the by reporting issues such as intimidation, hate were also released which contextualized what the service by calling a toll-free number. Kenyan speech, and polling clerk bias. data on the Uchaguzi map was showing. Voices received 2066 calls, with the callers Ushahidi staff members and volunteers verified There are many other efforts that aggregated listening to 942 bulletins and leaving 609 reports. the reports and sent them to electoral authorities social media on #kenyadecides. One was GotToVote is a Code4Kenya pilot project, or security personnel on the ground for action. Crowdvoice's election-related aggregation. “ oices is one solution in bridging the gap managed by OI, on behalf of the African Media During the elections, Ushahidi deployed over 200 between vocal, connected voices whose stories are Initiative (AMI) and the World Bank. It was volunteers locally to respond to reports, and 5.3 AL JAZEERA having an impact on the media through social originally built in just 24hrs to help voters register worked with over 1,000 crisis mappers media and those that still remain relatively for the elections, after citizens complained that the internationally for around-the-clock coverage. unheard because they don’t have the same official data released by the IBEC was too large to access,” says Vetch. download and too cumbersome to use. Uchaguzi provided an alternative outlet to violence and helped deal with tensions He added: “ oice offers a comfortable way to Code4Kenya developed the open-data GotToVote experienced during elections. It was used to verify communicate, in the region there is a huge site to help Kenyans locate their nearest voter reports, debunk rumors — which spread like appetite for radio so audio content and interaction registration center. Also, Kenyan voters were able is already in demand”. 69 kverclas (March 4, 2013). “Kenya Decides - The Kenya 68 kverclas (March 4, 2013). “Kenya Decides - The Kenya Al Jazeera English introduced a great interactive Election, Mobiles, and Interactive Media” Election, Mobiles, and Interactive Media” http://demworks.org/node/658 http://demworks.org/node/658 dashboard with candidate information, an to monitor election results and reports of election Mobile Application aimed at giving users access county down to the ward. It also allowed users to irregularities in their constituencies on Monday, to latest information on its activities. 70 keep track of the results as they were being thanks to added functionality on the popular tallied. GotToVote.co.ke election portal. The Android-compatible mobile app will allowed users, both at home and overseas, to access GotToVote allowed ordinary citizens to cut campaign speeches made by the Jubilee Coalition, through all the ‘noise’ and hype generated during TV interviews, debates of all nominated the elections to get easy access to the official candidates and campaign music and videos by election results for their counties, or local artists affiliated to the coalition. Spotlight App was designed to provide the real constituencies, when they became available from time updates of what is happening on the ground Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries The platform also hosted the manifesto and policy 2. JIJULISHE through citizens participation. The main aim was Commission (IBEC). discussions by Jubilee advisory team and to link Journalists with real time updates of what technocrats, as well as an open forum of the Jijulishe was an application based on the theme of was happening on the ground from different “The media and political parties are all focused on discussions and comments by Jubilee supporters. civil education of voters. It was based on locations in Kenya. The Application is also able to the national results and on results affecting two or timelines of key events. Jijulishe app runs on verify the user generated content. The following are other apps that were developed three of the higher profile presidential contenders. native android. Among others, the app provided: The ordinary citizen and their need to know about to aid in the Kenyan election: Breaking down on the constitution, the roles of their local results is getting lost in all the hype. elected officials/leaders, boundary, voting 5. RASLIMALI 1. WENYENCHI procedures, the election timeline, etc. GotToVote seeks to change that, by giving Raslimali app was a map-based application citizens their local results, as soon as they’re 3. TUKUMBUKE highlighting where resources are in Kenya, available, and mashing up these results with other including: social amenities like schools, hospitals, locally relevant data,” explains Open Institute banks, mineral resources. It made use of open data executive director, Jay Bhalla. information to populate the map. The essence of the application was to show the per capita During the elections, GotToVote users were able expenditure of each county. to send SMS and social media messages to friends and family, at no cost, reminding them to vote and 6. OPINION YETU Wenyenchi: There were lots of candidate finder urging them to support peaceful polling. After Tumbuke was a web and mobile application that balloting closed, GotToVote users were able to sites for the Kenya election. The one that seemed to have attracted the most attention was acted as an online digital post- election violence track the election results for their constituencies, Wenyenchi that also had a mobile site and an memorial experienced in Kenya in 2008. The aim as well as track official reports of irregularities, Android app. It provided a good overview of of the application is to foster peace in the election fraud, or other incidents in their candidates and an electoral boundary-finder71. It upcoming elections. It is like documentation of neighbourhoods. highlighted the electoral boundaries via Google what happened in 2008. maps, allowed users to view information on the 5.6 UhuRuto2013 MOBILE candidates in a given region starting from the 4. SPOTLIGHT APPLICATION Opinion Yetu was Kenya’s first internet-based 70 Okutoyi, Elly (February 14, 2013). “Jubilee Coalition opinion polls. Kenyan political outfit Jubilee Coalition launched launches campaign mobile application” a phone-based application dubbed UhuRuto2013 http://www.humanipo.com/news/3972/Jubilee- Coalition-launches-campaign-mobile-application 71 kverclas (March 4, 2013). “Kenya Decides - The Kenya 1. HAKI II Election, Mobiles, and Interactive Media” http://demworks.org/node/658 to monitor election results and reports of election Mobile Application aimed at giving users access county down to the ward. It also allowed users to irregularities in their constituencies on Monday, to latest information on its activities. 70 keep track of the results as they were being thanks to added functionality on the popular tallied. GotToVote.co.ke election portal. The Android-compatible mobile app will allowed users, both at home and overseas, to access GotToVote allowed ordinary citizens to cut campaign speeches made by the Jubilee Coalition, through all the ‘noise’ and hype generated during TV interviews, debates of all nominated the elections to get easy access to the official candidates and campaign music and videos by election results for their counties, or local artists affiliated to the coalition. Spotlight App was designed to provide the real constituencies, when they became available from time updates of what is happening on the ground Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries The platform also hosted the manifesto and policy 2. JIJULISHE through citizens participation. The main aim was Commission (IBEC). discussions by Jubilee advisory team and to link Journalists with real time updates of what technocrats, as well as an open forum of the Jijulishe was an application based on the theme of was happening on the ground from different “The media and political parties are all focused on discussions and comments by Jubilee supporters. civil education of voters. It was based on locations in Kenya. The Application is also able to the national results and on results affecting two or timelines of key events. Jijulishe app runs on verify the user generated content. The following are other apps that were developed three of the higher profile presidential contenders. native android. Among others, the app provided: The ordinary citizen and their need to know about to aid in the Kenyan election: Breaking down on the constitution, the roles of their local results is getting lost in all the hype. elected officials/leaders, boundary, voting 5. RASLIMALI 1. WENYENCHI procedures, the election timeline, etc. GotToVote seeks to change that, by giving Raslimali app was a map-based application citizens their local results, as soon as they’re 3. TUKUMBUKE highlighting where resources are in Kenya, available, and mashing up these results with other including: social amenities like schools, hospitals, locally relevant data,” explains Open Institute banks, mineral resources. It made use of open data executive director, Jay Bhalla. information to populate the map. The essence of the application was to show the per capita During the elections, GotToVote users were able expenditure of each county. to send SMS and social media messages to friends and family, at no cost, reminding them to vote and 6. OPINION YETU Wenyenchi: There were lots of candidate finder urging them to support peaceful polling. After Tumbuke was a web and mobile application that balloting closed, GotToVote users were able to sites for the Kenya election. The one that seemed to have attracted the most attention was acted as an online digital post- election violence track the election results for their constituencies, Wenyenchi that also had a mobile site and an memorial experienced in Kenya in 2008. The aim as well as track official reports of irregularities, Android app. It provided a good overview of of the application is to foster peace in the election fraud, or other incidents in their candidates and an electoral boundary-finder71. It upcoming elections. It is like documentation of neighbourhoods. highlighted the electoral boundaries via Google what happened in 2008. maps, allowed users to view information on the 5.6 UhuRuto2013 MOBILE candidates in a given region starting from the 4. SPOTLIGHT APPLICATION Opinion Yetu was Kenya’s first internet-based 70 Okutoyi, Elly (February 14, 2013). “Jubilee Coalition opinion polls. Kenyan political outfit Jubilee Coalition launched launches campaign mobile application” a phone-based application dubbed UhuRuto2013 http://www.humanipo.com/news/3972/Jubilee- Coalition-launches-campaign-mobile-application 71 kverclas (March 4, 2013). “Kenya Decides - The Kenya 1. HAKI II Election, Mobiles, and Interactive Media” http://demworks.org/node/658 Kenya was enveloped in an uneasy air of uncertainty as the country prepared for its crucial first elections since they adopted a new constitution in 2010 which won them the praise and admiration of the international community. As the East African nation general elections got There was mixed feelings amongst the populace closer, online activity increased drastically. Social about once again facing an exercise which media mainly Facebook, YouTube and Twitter occasioned the calamity that befell them and was widely used in the 2013 Kenyan general caused them untold misery in 2007-2008. elections by both political aspirants vying for This was a mobile app game meant for users to With the ugly aftermath of the 2007-08 elections elective positions and the electorates looking for play for peace. It runs on java and android still fresh in their minds, Kenyans understandably specific information. The online space became an platforms. Some of the features of the app are: dreaded another election-induced violence. increasingly important tool for outreach, Messaging system, Quizy questions, Positive engagement and reflection during the political images (what we want) and Negative images process, admitted Markham Nolan, Storyful’s (what we don’t want). managing editor. 6.0 ASSESSING THE IMPACT Whilst the political candidates turned to social media to reach out to the masses and sell their OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE ideologies to them by explaining their campaign KENYAN ELECTIONS promises, policies, and manifesto on social media, When Kenya held its general elections in 2007, the electorates utilized the same media to ask internet penetration in the country was not probing questions about the people who want to Hence, the call for peace in the 2013 general widespread. But today, thanks to fibre-optic lead them, and also commented on topical issues elections was deafening. The government, cables and increased mobile access, many as they naturally unfolded. It is also an political candidates and their parties, the IEBC, Kenyans are running blogs and actively using undeniable fact, that CSOs, the Independent the ELOG and other CSOs, NGOs and the social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. The election ended peacefully. It seems the efforts Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), common masses all contributed to the heartening of all the stakeholders to ensure peace were and other Independent electoral monitoring In Kenya, as stated earlier, close to 30 million of and melodious cacophony of appeals and fruitful as the country went through successful organizations made very good use of social the country's population are mobile phone entreaties for peaceful elections. It was indeed a elections devoid of major violent incidents. The media. For instance, the IEBC firmly engaged subscribers accounting for over 75 percent of the worthy endeavor in such a time where tension country has since returned to normalcy and the Kenyans through their resourceful Facebook page. population. It is therefore not surprising that constantly runs high and passions easily inflamed. general atmosphere in the country is superbly This is a completely different picture as compared internet penetration has increased with 14 million calm. Though the defeated Coalition for Reform to previous general elections, when the phrase Kenyans subscribed, with a very high percentage and Democracy (CORD) harbored some ‘social media’ made little sense to most Kenyans. of them accessing the Internet via their mobile grievances, their decision to take their complaints phones. This makes Kenya one of the biggest Social Media is a double-edged sword due to its to the courts and subsequently their graceful Internet users on the continent falling behind only potential to produce both positive and negative acceptance of the Supreme Court’s ruling which Nigeria, Egypt and Morocco. results, to serve both good and bad purposes. was not in their favor, is commendable and Since it was heavily adopted in the Kenyan nothing short of a display of remarkable maturity, Hence, with access to the internet made relatively elections, assessing its impact would be in order. affordable and easier, it is easier to understand a respect for the constitution and a deep faith in why Social media featured prominently in the the judicial system. KalonzoMusyoka, vice What impact did the influence of Social media recent 2013 Kenyan national elections. president of RailaOdinga tweeted: had on the outcome of the elections? How Kenya was enveloped in an uneasy air of uncertainty as the country prepared for its crucial first elections since they adopted a new constitution in 2010 which won them the praise and admiration of the international community. As the East African nation general elections got There was mixed feelings amongst the populace closer, online activity increased drastically. Social about once again facing an exercise which media mainly Facebook, YouTube and Twitter occasioned the calamity that befell them and was widely used in the 2013 Kenyan general caused them untold misery in 2007-2008. elections by both political aspirants vying for This was a mobile app game meant for users to With the ugly aftermath of the 2007-08 elections elective positions and the electorates looking for play for peace. It runs on java and android still fresh in their minds, Kenyans understandably specific information. The online space became an platforms. Some of the features of the app are: dreaded another election-induced violence. increasingly important tool for outreach, Messaging system, Quizy questions, Positive engagement and reflection during the political images (what we want) and Negative images process, admitted Markham Nolan, Storyful’s (what we don’t want). managing editor. 6.0 ASSESSING THE IMPACT Whilst the political candidates turned to social media to reach out to the masses and sell their OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE ideologies to them by explaining their campaign KENYAN ELECTIONS promises, policies, and manifesto on social media, When Kenya held its general elections in 2007, the electorates utilized the same media to ask internet penetration in the country was not probing questions about the people who want to Hence, the call for peace in the 2013 general widespread. But today, thanks to fibre-optic lead them, and also commented on topical issues elections was deafening. The government, cables and increased mobile access, many as they naturally unfolded. It is also an political candidates and their parties, the IEBC, Kenyans are running blogs and actively using undeniable fact, that CSOs, the Independent the ELOG and other CSOs, NGOs and the social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. The election ended peacefully. It seems the efforts Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), common masses all contributed to the heartening of all the stakeholders to ensure peace were and other Independent electoral monitoring In Kenya, as stated earlier, close to 30 million of and melodious cacophony of appeals and fruitful as the country went through successful organizations made very good use of social the country's population are mobile phone entreaties for peaceful elections. It was indeed a elections devoid of major violent incidents. The media. For instance, the IEBC firmly engaged subscribers accounting for over 75 percent of the worthy endeavor in such a time where tension country has since returned to normalcy and the Kenyans through their resourceful Facebook page. population. It is therefore not surprising that constantly runs high and passions easily inflamed. general atmosphere in the country is superbly This is a completely different picture as compared internet penetration has increased with 14 million calm. Though the defeated Coalition for Reform to previous general elections, when the phrase Kenyans subscribed, with a very high percentage and Democracy (CORD) harbored some ‘social media’ made little sense to most Kenyans. of them accessing the Internet via their mobile grievances, their decision to take their complaints phones. This makes Kenya one of the biggest Social Media is a double-edged sword due to its to the courts and subsequently their graceful Internet users on the continent falling behind only potential to produce both positive and negative acceptance of the Supreme Court’s ruling which Nigeria, Egypt and Morocco. results, to serve both good and bad purposes. was not in their favor, is commendable and Since it was heavily adopted in the Kenyan nothing short of a display of remarkable maturity, Hence, with access to the internet made relatively elections, assessing its impact would be in order. affordable and easier, it is easier to understand a respect for the constitution and a deep faith in why Social media featured prominently in the the judicial system. KalonzoMusyoka, vice What impact did the influence of Social media recent 2013 Kenyan national elections. president of RailaOdinga tweeted: had on the outcome of the elections? How reassuring or threatening was this new media to To curb this and prevent another possible landscape particularly presented numerous of the offenders to the director of public the peace and stability of the country? Did it mayhem, the Kenyan government issued an order challenges to the government in its attempt to prosecution who might eventually face jail time. prove to be a good slave or a bad master? to de-register all lines that cannot be traced to a sanitize the media landscape to halt the circulation known user in an attempt to clamp down on of offensive tribal remarks which partly serve as The government also appointed a team to monitor In Kenya, like many African countries, there are people sending out provocative texts. the basis for electoral violence in Africa. hate speech on social media which included the deep-seated ethnic animosities which date back Head of Civil Service Francis Kimemia, Ministry many years ago. During tension-fraught elections, However, some reasoned that such noble and The rising influence of social media throughout of the Interior Permanent Secretary MuteaIringo, these mild undertones of ethnic prejudice or well-intentioned efforts by Kenyan authorities to the 2013 elections was unsettling as it engulfed and Ministry of Information and Communications ethnocentrism are rekindled by the negative or halt the use of mobile phones to incite violence partly tech-savvy Kenyans in an uneasy air of Permanent Secretary Bitange Ndemo. The team offensive political rhetoric of mostly unprincipled could be thwarted by the arrival of affordable uncertainty as to its impact on the whole electoral was charged with identifying individuals using politicians who place their political ambition and smart phones on the Kenyan market which has process. It is not strange that many a Kenyan social media to disseminate hate speech that may the winning of the support of a particular ethnic increased internet use on cell phones and dreaded a repeat of the 2007 bloodletting which incite violence. The team collaborated with the group above national unity and cohesion. generated an explosion in the use of social media. cost them many lives and loss of properties. With National Cohesion and Integration Commission Even if they succeeded in preventing unknown measures put in place by the government to check and the National Steering Committee on Media During the 2007/2008 post-election crisis and mobile phone users from sending out provocative and monitor the traditional media and social Monitoring, which issued a warning to bloggers violence in Kenya, hate speech on native language text messages, stopping those people from using media, and the use of mobile phones in sending using their websites to promote ethnic division, radio stations and online fanned ethnic social media to advance their cruel intention provocative text messages almost fully tackled, threatening to hold them publicly responsible. tensions. This resulted in the infamous grisly and would be more of a herculean task. many people still harbored doubts and feared that ghastly aftermath ever in the political history of social media would serve as a convenient platform Besides establishing bodies to monitor social Kenya - an ethnic-based bloodbath that led to the As a result, the Kenyan government laid out strict for disgruntled people to stoke tribal tensions with media for hate speech, the government brought in death of more than 1000 people with over 300,000 guidelines to tamp down hate speech as the their inflammatory postings due to the peculiar the Umati team and the country's National Human Kenyans rendered homeless. country prepared to hold the 2013 general difficulties in fully arresting the dangers of this Rights Commission to also assist. The Umati elections. The new regulations, called "Guidelines new media. project is a “dangerous speech” monitoring Though social media was less utilized compared for the Prevention of Transmission of Undesirable project built on Ushahidi’s Swift River platform. to the conventional media in events leading to the Political Messages via Electronic Communication Needless to say, the threat of social media was The sole aim of Umati which is an initiative of 2007 post-elections violence, Kenya’s post- Networks", were announced in Nairobi on real. With few weeks to the elections, the harsh iHub Kenya, a technology innovation and election violence demonstrated the effects that Wednesday, October 24, 2012. tone and the barrage of incendiary statements that research centre based in Nairobi and software new technology can have. It is acknowledged that were circulating on social media forced the developer, Ushahidi, was to monitor and report technology and media hastened the transmission The guidelines monitored messages sent via government to intensify its efforts in tackling hate dangerous postings online by Kenyans to the of snide remarks and tribal stereotypes that mobile phones as well as content disseminated on speech on social media. The Kenyan Ministry of authorities. This project sifted through social penetrated communities and mobilized individuals social media networks to ensure no offensive or Information and Communication media, blogs and comment sections on news and groups for action against each other. In the inciting messages were posted on Twitter and even announced that those engaged in hate speech articles to analyze the type of language used on 2007 elections, access to vernacular radio stations Facebook, said Permanent Secretary in the on social media could face fines up to $11,000 these mediums in discussion of the elections. was high and mobile phones were widely Ministry of Information and Communications, and three years in prison. Some of the sites Umati had been monitoring like available and were sometimes used in sending Bitange Ndemo. Mashada.com even shut down due to some provocative text messages and mobilizing attacks The NCIC set up by the government to monitor In the 2013 Kenyan elections, the explosion of vitriolic speeches and inflammatory postings by on opposing communities. The National Human hate speech on social media also established a its users. Rights Commission even confirmed that mobile social media and the proliferation of mobile department headed by a cybercrime expert to scan phone text messages aided in mobilizing vigilante phones in addition to the everyday access to the social media for incendiary language. Dozens of Over the past few years, social media has emerged groups and mobs during the 2007-08 post-election traditional media vastly expanded the means of offenders were identified on Facebook, Twitter, as a very powerful frontier for mass clashes. spreading information and this posed a serious and on blogs. The commission even referred some communication. Though Kenya lags behind other threat to the stability of the nation. The explosion countries in terms of numbers on Facebook and in the use of social media on the political reassuring or threatening was this new media to To curb this and prevent another possible landscape particularly presented numerous of the offenders to the director of public the peace and stability of the country? Did it mayhem, the Kenyan government issued an order challenges to the government in its attempt to prosecution who might eventually face jail time. prove to be a good slave or a bad master? to de-register all lines that cannot be traced to a sanitize the media landscape to halt the circulation known user in an attempt to clamp down on of offensive tribal remarks which partly serve as The government also appointed a team to monitor In Kenya, like many African countries, there are people sending out provocative texts. the basis for electoral violence in Africa. hate speech on social media which included the deep-seated ethnic animosities which date back Head of Civil Service Francis Kimemia, Ministry many years ago. During tension-fraught elections, However, some reasoned that such noble and The rising influence of social media throughout of the Interior Permanent Secretary MuteaIringo, these mild undertones of ethnic prejudice or well-intentioned efforts by Kenyan authorities to the 2013 elections was unsettling as it engulfed and Ministry of Information and Communications ethnocentrism are rekindled by the negative or halt the use of mobile phones to incite violence partly tech-savvy Kenyans in an uneasy air of Permanent Secretary Bitange Ndemo. The team offensive political rhetoric of mostly unprincipled could be thwarted by the arrival of affordable uncertainty as to its impact on the whole electoral was charged with identifying individuals using politicians who place their political ambition and smart phones on the Kenyan market which has process. It is not strange that many a Kenyan social media to disseminate hate speech that may the winning of the support of a particular ethnic increased internet use on cell phones and dreaded a repeat of the 2007 bloodletting which incite violence. The team collaborated with the group above national unity and cohesion. generated an explosion in the use of social media. cost them many lives and loss of properties. With National Cohesion and Integration Commission Even if they succeeded in preventing unknown measures put in place by the government to check and the National Steering Committee on Media During the 2007/2008 post-election crisis and mobile phone users from sending out provocative and monitor the traditional media and social Monitoring, which issued a warning to bloggers violence in Kenya, hate speech on native language text messages, stopping those people from using media, and the use of mobile phones in sending using their websites to promote ethnic division, radio stations and online fanned ethnic social media to advance their cruel intention provocative text messages almost fully tackled, threatening to hold them publicly responsible. tensions. This resulted in the infamous grisly and would be more of a herculean task. many people still harbored doubts and feared that ghastly aftermath ever in the political history of social media would serve as a convenient platform Besides establishing bodies to monitor social Kenya - an ethnic-based bloodbath that led to the As a result, the Kenyan government laid out strict for disgruntled people to stoke tribal tensions with media for hate speech, the government brought in death of more than 1000 people with over 300,000 guidelines to tamp down hate speech as the their inflammatory postings due to the peculiar the Umati team and the country's National Human Kenyans rendered homeless. country prepared to hold the 2013 general difficulties in fully arresting the dangers of this Rights Commission to also assist. The Umati elections. The new regulations, called "Guidelines new media. project is a “dangerous speech” monitoring Though social media was less utilized compared for the Prevention of Transmission of Undesirable project built on Ushahidi’s Swift River platform. to the conventional media in events leading to the Political Messages via Electronic Communication Needless to say, the threat of social media was The sole aim of Umati which is an initiative of 2007 post-elections violence, Kenya’s post- Networks", were announced in Nairobi on real. With few weeks to the elections, the harsh iHub Kenya, a technology innovation and election violence demonstrated the effects that Wednesday, October 24, 2012. tone and the barrage of incendiary statements that research centre based in Nairobi and software new technology can have. It is acknowledged that were circulating on social media forced the developer, Ushahidi, was to monitor and report technology and media hastened the transmission The guidelines monitored messages sent via government to intensify its efforts in tackling hate dangerous postings online by Kenyans to the of snide remarks and tribal stereotypes that mobile phones as well as content disseminated on speech on social media. The Kenyan Ministry of authorities. This project sifted through social penetrated communities and mobilized individuals social media networks to ensure no offensive or Information and Communication media, blogs and comment sections on news and groups for action against each other. In the inciting messages were posted on Twitter and even announced that those engaged in hate speech articles to analyze the type of language used on 2007 elections, access to vernacular radio stations Facebook, said Permanent Secretary in the on social media could face fines up to $11,000 these mediums in discussion of the elections. was high and mobile phones were widely Ministry of Information and Communications, and three years in prison. Some of the sites Umati had been monitoring like available and were sometimes used in sending Bitange Ndemo. Mashada.com even shut down due to some provocative text messages and mobilizing attacks The NCIC set up by the government to monitor In the 2013 Kenyan elections, the explosion of vitriolic speeches and inflammatory postings by on opposing communities. The National Human hate speech on social media also established a its users. Rights Commission even confirmed that mobile social media and the proliferation of mobile department headed by a cybercrime expert to scan phone text messages aided in mobilizing vigilante phones in addition to the everyday access to the social media for incendiary language. Dozens of Over the past few years, social media has emerged groups and mobs during the 2007-08 post-election traditional media vastly expanded the means of offenders were identified on Facebook, Twitter, as a very powerful frontier for mass clashes. spreading information and this posed a serious and on blogs. The commission even referred some communication. Though Kenya lags behind other threat to the stability of the nation. The explosion countries in terms of numbers on Facebook and in the use of social media on the political Twitter, Kenya remains a strong rival in terms of sites. Social media gave the teeming crowd of decisive process of electing their leaders and usage and articulating issues. Kenya has been able technologically savvy Kenyans not only a representatives. to stage quite a number of social media initiated However, as Kenyans increasingly became collective voice to denounce any untoward speech success stories like the successful worried about the integrity of the election results or action that could mar the electoral exercise, but However, the anxiety social media created could #Kenyanforkenyans campaign, and they have amidst claims of rigging and vote doctoring by the notably gave them an important platform where pass as one of the negative consequences its been able to replicate those accomplishments in parties of the presidential candidates, reports of they could report potential incidents of violence to emergence brought on the entire country. There the 2013 general elections too. voting irregularities, registration problems, be checked and contained before they got out of was undue tension and anxiety in the midst of polling station difficulties, counting irregularities hand. incessant online vitriol. While Kenyan media The enthusiasm of Kenyans in the electoral and results announcing rose.73 outlets were debarred from reprinting hateful process and their willingness to ensure peaceful Using the hashtag #KOT – Kenyans on Twitter- a messages, everyday some Kenyans shared elections were clearly evident by their keen Besides the Uchaguzi website that gave anyone community of Kenyan Twitter users proved that inflammatory thoughts online with authorities observation, monitoring and participation in with internet access the opportunity to report the social network can indeed be a powerful tool largely unable to stop them. It's not just ordinary election proceedings as displayed on social media. incidents and to also peruse reported cases of for shaping the national narrative. The Kenyans who were stoking the flames either – a They were constantly alert to and reported any incidents of both potential and actual violence, outspokenness of Kenyans especially on social junior Member of Parliament was arrested for incident capable of inciting violence through their there was also an Uchcaguzi Twitter hashtag - media came to the fore on this platform. Kenyans inciting violence in a YouTube video. Twitter account and Facebook pages. On social #Uchaguzi. Voters reported any intimidating on Twitter tackled almost every issue related to media, people of good will assisted both the issues and the general atmosphere at the polls by their country particularly the elections – from Moreover, the stringent measures and numerous government and other social media-monitoring posting Twitter messages with the hashtag calls to ensure free and fair elections to debunking initiatives adopted by the government in bodies to identify and contain violent situations #uchaguzi (the Swahili word for "election"). A false alarms raised by both indigenous people and sanitizing the social media platform brings to the before they escalated. group of volunteers tracked the messages and the foreign media. fore another downside of the explosion of social alerted local officials when necessary. media in the Kenyan elections – cost. The cost of For instance, Uchaguzi, an incident-mapping For instance, when CNN aired an alarming report monitoring social media was very high and time- website which was designed to aggregate reports that some Kenyans were preparing for violence in consuming. Huge amount of resources that could of both potential and actual violent incidents the Rift Valley, Kenyans on Twitter reacted otherwise have been used for mainly received crowd-sourced reports as high as 480 per strongly to the baseless report using the hashtag developmental purposes were committed to cent since the polls began. #SomeonetellCNN. Few days later, CNN ensuring that what people post and comment on removed the video from the internet and calmed social media is nothing short of civility and From the beginning of the polls, Kenyans turned the nerves of Kenyans on Twitter by recounting tolerance. The acquisition of expert monitors and to the incident-mapping service with 770 events their long-standing relationship with Africa advanced election-monitoring or social media listed on the website at one point. Many of them including the many excellent stories they have monitoring technological equipment require huge declared “everything is fine”. Three days later, the covered on Africa: capital outlay. Besides, the government had to number of reported incidents by the public via spend money in employing technology and cyber- SMS and Twitter soared to 3,805 incidents. crime experts to man and monitor sophisticated However, this time, the number of negative events Through Facebook, the Independent Electoral and machines while the recruitment of lay volunteers rose but the majority of negative reports related to Boundaries Commission (IEBC) connected with to assist the process also required much financial procedural issues rather than security threats. The high number of reports citizens sent to the voters like never before. Their Facebook page was commitment. Only 396 security incidents were listed on the Uchaguzi website and the Uchaguzi hashtag attest very informative and resourceful in updating website, mostly pertaining to threats of violence.72 to how active Kenyans were on social networking voters on any election-related development. Aside the unnecessary burden social media Social media made it easier for the IEBC to reach imposed on Kenya in terms of financial drain, it 72 Mulligan, Gabriella (2013) Crowd-sourced election 73 Mulligan, Gabriella (2013) Crowd-sourced election the masses and sometimes break down the also led to the marginalization of the poor and the reports soar on Uchaguzi (March 7, 2013) reports soar on Uchaguzi (March 7, 2013) complex voting procedures so that ordinary voters rural folks in terms of contributing towards http://www.humanipo.com/news/4458/Crowd- http://www.humanipo.com/news/4458/Crowd- sourced-election-reports-soar-on-Uchaguzi sourced-election-reports-soar-on-Uchaguzi could be easily engaged and included in the shaping both political and national agenda. Tim Twitter, Kenya remains a strong rival in terms of sites. Social media gave the teeming crowd of decisive process of electing their leaders and usage and articulating issues. Kenya has been able technologically savvy Kenyans not only a representatives. to stage quite a number of social media initiated However, as Kenyans increasingly became collective voice to denounce any untoward speech success stories like the successful worried about the integrity of the election results or action that could mar the electoral exercise, but However, the anxiety social media created could #Kenyanforkenyans campaign, and they have amidst claims of rigging and vote doctoring by the notably gave them an important platform where pass as one of the negative consequences its been able to replicate those accomplishments in parties of the presidential candidates, reports of they could report potential incidents of violence to emergence brought on the entire country. There the 2013 general elections too. voting irregularities, registration problems, be checked and contained before they got out of was undue tension and anxiety in the midst of polling station difficulties, counting irregularities hand. incessant online vitriol. While Kenyan media The enthusiasm of Kenyans in the electoral and results announcing rose.73 outlets were debarred from reprinting hateful process and their willingness to ensure peaceful Using the hashtag #KOT – Kenyans on Twitter- a messages, everyday some Kenyans shared elections were clearly evident by their keen Besides the Uchaguzi website that gave anyone community of Kenyan Twitter users proved that inflammatory thoughts online with authorities observation, monitoring and participation in with internet access the opportunity to report the social network can indeed be a powerful tool largely unable to stop them. It's not just ordinary election proceedings as displayed on social media. incidents and to also peruse reported cases of for shaping the national narrative. The Kenyans who were stoking the flames either – a They were constantly alert to and reported any incidents of both potential and actual violence, outspokenness of Kenyans especially on social junior Member of Parliament was arrested for incident capable of inciting violence through their there was also an Uchcaguzi Twitter hashtag - media came to the fore on this platform. Kenyans inciting violence in a YouTube video. Twitter account and Facebook pages. On social #Uchaguzi. Voters reported any intimidating on Twitter tackled almost every issue related to media, people of good will assisted both the issues and the general atmosphere at the polls by their country particularly the elections – from Moreover, the stringent measures and numerous government and other social media-monitoring posting Twitter messages with the hashtag calls to ensure free and fair elections to debunking initiatives adopted by the government in bodies to identify and contain violent situations #uchaguzi (the Swahili word for "election"). A false alarms raised by both indigenous people and sanitizing the social media platform brings to the before they escalated. group of volunteers tracked the messages and the foreign media. fore another downside of the explosion of social alerted local officials when necessary. media in the Kenyan elections – cost. The cost of For instance, Uchaguzi, an incident-mapping For instance, when CNN aired an alarming report monitoring social media was very high and time- website which was designed to aggregate reports that some Kenyans were preparing for violence in consuming. Huge amount of resources that could of both potential and actual violent incidents the Rift Valley, Kenyans on Twitter reacted otherwise have been used for mainly received crowd-sourced reports as high as 480 per strongly to the baseless report using the hashtag developmental purposes were committed to cent since the polls began. #SomeonetellCNN. Few days later, CNN ensuring that what people post and comment on removed the video from the internet and calmed social media is nothing short of civility and From the beginning of the polls, Kenyans turned the nerves of Kenyans on Twitter by recounting tolerance. The acquisition of expert monitors and to the incident-mapping service with 770 events their long-standing relationship with Africa advanced election-monitoring or social media listed on the website at one point. Many of them including the many excellent stories they have monitoring technological equipment require huge declared “everything is fine”. Three days later, the covered on Africa: capital outlay. Besides, the government had to number of reported incidents by the public via spend money in employing technology and cyber- SMS and Twitter soared to 3,805 incidents. crime experts to man and monitor sophisticated However, this time, the number of negative events Through Facebook, the Independent Electoral and machines while the recruitment of lay volunteers rose but the majority of negative reports related to Boundaries Commission (IEBC) connected with to assist the process also required much financial procedural issues rather than security threats. The high number of reports citizens sent to the voters like never before. Their Facebook page was commitment. Only 396 security incidents were listed on the Uchaguzi website and the Uchaguzi hashtag attest very informative and resourceful in updating website, mostly pertaining to threats of violence.72 to how active Kenyans were on social networking voters on any election-related development. Aside the unnecessary burden social media Social media made it easier for the IEBC to reach imposed on Kenya in terms of financial drain, it 72 Mulligan, Gabriella (2013) Crowd-sourced election 73 Mulligan, Gabriella (2013) Crowd-sourced election the masses and sometimes break down the also led to the marginalization of the poor and the reports soar on Uchaguzi (March 7, 2013) reports soar on Uchaguzi (March 7, 2013) complex voting procedures so that ordinary voters rural folks in terms of contributing towards http://www.humanipo.com/news/4458/Crowd- http://www.humanipo.com/news/4458/Crowd- sourced-election-reports-soar-on-Uchaguzi sourced-election-reports-soar-on-Uchaguzi could be easily engaged and included in the shaping both political and national agenda. Tim Unwin properly noted: “as richer individuals and complement the efforts of the security agencies in Kenyans turn out in their numbers to vote countries have ever-faster Internet access, discharging their duties towards protecting the Thirdly, voter education and participation was enabling them to use ever more creative social country from another possible mayhem. The highly encouraged. Social media served as an media, those who simply do not have the physical security forces were not overstrained. With the aid The country’s burgeoning internet users, most of unofficial platform for civic education on the access, or cannot afford it, become ever more of social media, the security agencies were given whom comprises the youth, were particularly entire political process. Many Kenyans learnt distanced from the political processes that such accurate and timely information and direction to drawn into the whole election hysteria when more about electoral proceedings and other technologies permit”. problematic areas unlike previous times where especially almost all of the presidential aspirants election-related developments on social media they only needed to rely on reports of the created Facebook pages in order to reach the Though many Kenyans have access to mobile through people’s comments, suggestions and conventional media which were sometimes too youth with their message. Thus, even social media phones through which they access the internet, not questions on Facebook and Twitter. Almost every late or not very accurate and precise. Social users who were less interested in politics and the all of them are technologically savvy. Most of the issue on the election was discussed on Social media ensured a direct link between citizens and political ambitions of politicians for once could less-privileged possess little knowledge about new Media. This enabled people to make informed the police where the police followed constant not resist the hubbub that the electoral process technology and therefore makes it difficult for choices and contribute meaningfully to the reports from people in trouble spots. created on Facebook. With most of the them to contribute to the political discussions political process. conversation on Facebook concentrated on the online. Therefore, it was the elite and the city Secondly, Social media also took civic elections, one could not help but join the political Fourthly, it supercharged citizen journalism and dwellers who made the most use of ICT and social participation and social activism to a whole new discourse. contributed to fair and accurate reportage in the media in shaping the political rhetoric and the level. Ordinary Kenyans who otherwise lacked the industrial media. Many Kenyans used social national narrative. This pushed the majority of the platform to voice their thoughts and opinions on During the elections, Facebook pages were media to voice their concerns and challenged the citizens outside the realm of civic participation in topical political issues found their voice on social flooded with political messages and comments mainstream media and government reports, national affairs and rendered them mere onlookers media. While some young Kenyans were actively with people justifying why some candidates raising local citizen journalism to another level. whilst their destinies were being shaped by a few lambasting politicians for perceived or real should be voted for and others questioning the people. corruption charges and greed, they did not relent integrity of the aspirants and the electoral process. This particularly ensured a balanced and unbiased in occasionally sharing their thoughts on the The leading presidential candidates, Uhuru reportage by the local conventional media unlike Nevertheless, the positive contribution of social whole electoral exercise and other related Kenyatta and RailaOdinga, garnered hundreds of the 2007 elections where “the media merely media towards the electoral process far developments as they unfolded. Below are but thousands of “Likes” on their Facebook pages and amplified institutional viewpoints, drawing on outweighed the challenges it presented. Besides few of the political comments Kenyans shared they capitalized on this to mobilize their tribalised political views and assumptions as the the anxiety that the advent of social media created online: supporters on social media to come out and vote natural perspective, rather than providing during the elections, the huge cost it imposed and massively for them. Many responded and this alternatives views”.(Munyua, 2010) According to the barrier to participation in the democratic contributed to an increase in the voter turn-out to Alice Munyua, The media in the 2007 elections process it served to the non-tech savvy citizenry, an unprecedented level. were polarized and co-opted during election and its role in the recent elections towards ensuring post-election violence, and ownership tended to national cohesion and stamping out tribalism was influence the kind of partisanship a media house phenomenal. The contributions of this relatively would adopt. new media towards ensuring a transparent and credible election were unprecedented and Five years down the lane, the story is quite immense. different with the advent of social media. The recent elections have shown that the bloggers in Firstly, the task of weeding out war mongers and Kenya are givingthe local media houses a tough trouble-makers and ensuring a smooth running of competition in terms of churning out news. the process was not left to the security agencies Though a number of Kenya media houses alone, thanks to social media. Social media responded well by opening up micro-blogging empowered the masses to aid, co-operate and platforms such as Facebook pages and Twitter Unwin properly noted: “as richer individuals and complement the efforts of the security agencies in Kenyans turn out in their numbers to vote countries have ever-faster Internet access, discharging their duties towards protecting the Thirdly, voter education and participation was enabling them to use ever more creative social country from another possible mayhem. The highly encouraged. Social media served as an media, those who simply do not have the physical security forces were not overstrained. With the aid The country’s burgeoning internet users, most of unofficial platform for civic education on the access, or cannot afford it, become ever more of social media, the security agencies were given whom comprises the youth, were particularly entire political process. Many Kenyans learnt distanced from the political processes that such accurate and timely information and direction to drawn into the whole election hysteria when more about electoral proceedings and other technologies permit”. problematic areas unlike previous times where especially almost all of the presidential aspirants election-related developments on social media they only needed to rely on reports of the created Facebook pages in order to reach the Though many Kenyans have access to mobile through people’s comments, suggestions and conventional media which were sometimes too youth with their message. Thus, even social media phones through which they access the internet, not questions on Facebook and Twitter. Almost every late or not very accurate and precise. Social users who were less interested in politics and the all of them are technologically savvy. Most of the issue on the election was discussed on Social media ensured a direct link between citizens and political ambitions of politicians for once could less-privileged possess little knowledge about new Media. This enabled people to make informed the police where the police followed constant not resist the hubbub that the electoral process technology and therefore makes it difficult for choices and contribute meaningfully to the reports from people in trouble spots. created on Facebook. With most of the them to contribute to the political discussions political process. conversation on Facebook concentrated on the online. Therefore, it was the elite and the city Secondly, Social media also took civic elections, one could not help but join the political Fourthly, it supercharged citizen journalism and dwellers who made the most use of ICT and social participation and social activism to a whole new discourse. contributed to fair and accurate reportage in the media in shaping the political rhetoric and the level. Ordinary Kenyans who otherwise lacked the industrial media. Many Kenyans used social national narrative. This pushed the majority of the platform to voice their thoughts and opinions on During the elections, Facebook pages were media to voice their concerns and challenged the citizens outside the realm of civic participation in topical political issues found their voice on social flooded with political messages and comments mainstream media and government reports, national affairs and rendered them mere onlookers media. While some young Kenyans were actively with people justifying why some candidates raising local citizen journalism to another level. whilst their destinies were being shaped by a few lambasting politicians for perceived or real should be voted for and others questioning the people. corruption charges and greed, they did not relent integrity of the aspirants and the electoral process. This particularly ensured a balanced and unbiased in occasionally sharing their thoughts on the The leading presidential candidates, Uhuru reportage by the local conventional media unlike Nevertheless, the positive contribution of social whole electoral exercise and other related Kenyatta and RailaOdinga, garnered hundreds of the 2007 elections where “the media merely media towards the electoral process far developments as they unfolded. Below are but thousands of “Likes” on their Facebook pages and amplified institutional viewpoints, drawing on outweighed the challenges it presented. Besides few of the political comments Kenyans shared they capitalized on this to mobilize their tribalised political views and assumptions as the the anxiety that the advent of social media created online: supporters on social media to come out and vote natural perspective, rather than providing during the elections, the huge cost it imposed and massively for them. Many responded and this alternatives views”.(Munyua, 2010) According to the barrier to participation in the democratic contributed to an increase in the voter turn-out to Alice Munyua, The media in the 2007 elections process it served to the non-tech savvy citizenry, an unprecedented level. were polarized and co-opted during election and its role in the recent elections towards ensuring post-election violence, and ownership tended to national cohesion and stamping out tribalism was influence the kind of partisanship a media house phenomenal. The contributions of this relatively would adopt. new media towards ensuring a transparent and credible election were unprecedented and Five years down the lane, the story is quite immense. different with the advent of social media. The recent elections have shown that the bloggers in Firstly, the task of weeding out war mongers and Kenya are givingthe local media houses a tough trouble-makers and ensuring a smooth running of competition in terms of churning out news. the process was not left to the security agencies Though a number of Kenya media houses alone, thanks to social media. Social media responded well by opening up micro-blogging empowered the masses to aid, co-operate and platforms such as Facebook pages and Twitter handles for their programmes to enable their succeeded in drawing attention to some of the tribalism” “peace wanted alive” “talk about continue to serve as an interactive platform and a readers get news in real time, the bloggers seemed unfortunate remarks people have made on social peace” “vote wisely, vote for peace” among two-way channel that would connect the to enjoy a comparatively massive audience. media and openly condemned them while others were commonplace on social media.75 Even governors to the governed, thereby permanently advocating for the need for political tolerance. though, the effectiveness of such words on social bridging the yawning gap that once existed One blogger observed, “The reason we have a media is frequently questioned, the penetration between government and the ordinary Kenyans. large audience unmatched by these media houses Kayamba, Africa's lead vocalist wrote on his rate of social media in Kenya is beyond is because we tell the truth. We report it as it is Facebook account: "Friends , I have many friends questioning. Since it is believed that those who Government officials would be certainly careful and do not go into the bed with politicians. We from all walks of life, including all tribes in use social media can shape public opinion, and so as to discharge their duties efficiently and cannot be manipulated.” Kenya, however they do not include a tribe that can easily influence those without access to the effectively being aware of the fact that every step uses indecent, abusive, language and pictures internet, the soothing effects of such brief words they take and every decision they make would be The intense competition in the media landscape against one another, I will block you , whichever thoroughly monitored, scrutinized, analyzed, and by bloggers and other social media enthusiasts has on social media and their ability to calm the side you are for or against, one love!" nerves of disgruntled people cannot be over- judged on social media by the tech-savvy forced the traditional media to sit up and to also Kenyans. ensure that their reportage is devoid of bias and Similarly, Grapevine TV host, Anyiko Owoko emphasized. prejudice that portray their political leanings in decried the spate of tribal remarks on her Twitter One would not be far from right to admit that 7.0 CONCLUSIONS order for them to retain their audience, as already account: "I feel as sad as I felt after the 07 social media played a wonderful role in ensuring In spite of all the fears and uncertainties, the many Kenyans are switching from the traditional elections. Only this time, nobody was killed but the credible election and the peace that the Kenya elections came to a peaceful end. Though media to social media for accurate, fair and real tribalism was resurrected in the name of country saw and enjoyed in its elections. Social many feared social media would be instrumental time news. democracy." media acted as enabler providing a positive role in in fostering violence through the transmission of Fifthly, Social media gave Kenyans a powerful Radio presenter, Linda Adongo however mediating divergent perspectives, and ensured a hate speech, it rather proved to be a powerful tool platform and a timely opportunity to add their expressed optimism, "Like animal farm, national vision of unity and cohesion. It served as for social activism, a channel for political voice to the never-ending calls for peace in the redemption song we shall sing. One day equality an avenue for dialogue that went a long way to campaigns and an avenue for civic engagement elections. Kenyans turned to social media in will be the real. The biggest tribe will be Kenyan. minimize polarization and reoriented the people and participation in the entire political process. through brief but constant reminders that they are droves to appeal to their fellow countrymen to be For now we wait ha!" Gradually, social media is shifting the balance of one people with a common destiny. tolerant and exercise patience in order not to mar power in favor of the citizens, and thus, the the beauty of the democratic exercise. The call for Kiko Romeo's Ann McCreath appealed for patience and tolerance: "The electoral process was The credit for the successful and peaceful election "World is becoming more democratic and peace constantly reverberated throughout the can be rightly shared between the government reflective of the will of ordinary people." It seems pages of Facebook and Twitter. a mess, but we were patient with the #IEBC. Let's be a bit more patient with the court and wait for who tirelessly put in place pragmatic measures to ordinary citizens who hitherto had no say in the When tribal verbal attacks raised its ugly head in their opinion on whatever evidence is tabled. Let's ensure that the freedom of expression is not day to day running of the affairs of the nation the election on especially social media, Kenyan be tolerant of diverse opinions & cultures. I long abused, and the peace-loving tech-savvy Kenyans have found their voice on social media, and are celebrities74, important personalities and the for the day when we talk political ideologies and who relentlessly cautioned their colleagues therefore contributing to political discussions and ordinary people found no convenient platform to respect the divergence regardless of who voices against the use of provocative speech and even helping shape the national agenda. condemned those who did that when necessary. debunk and denounce them than on popular social them." Despite assurances that there would be no repeat media platforms. The Moipei quartet account read in a worshipful Though the elections have ended, it is apparent of the election violence that left more than 1000 Many of them turned to Facebook and Twitter to tone: "Let us not forget God now that the that social media would continue to serve as a Kenyans dead in 2007, there were few incidents condemn the vitriolic remarks posted online. They elections have passed, let us praise him day and valuable tool in the hands of both elected political of violence as the polls opened. For instance, an candidates and the general public. It would armed attack on a police station in Mombasa night till the end of time. God Bless Kenya." 74 Kerongo, Grace (March 12, 2013).“Kenyans Celebs killed 10 people including two police personnel Deal with Tribalism Online” Last but not least, powerful slogans such as “Give 75 Gogineni, Roopa“'Vote wisely, vote for peace' social just hours before voting kicked off. The attack http://allafrica.com/stories/201303121417.html peace a chance”, “vote for peace”, “say no to media comments on Kenyan elections” http://www.english.rfi.fr/node/145427 was blamed on a secessionist group known as the handles for their programmes to enable their succeeded in drawing attention to some of the tribalism” “peace wanted alive” “talk about continue to serve as an interactive platform and a readers get news in real time, the bloggers seemed unfortunate remarks people have made on social peace” “vote wisely, vote for peace” among two-way channel that would connect the to enjoy a comparatively massive audience. media and openly condemned them while others were commonplace on social media.75 Even governors to the governed, thereby permanently advocating for the need for political tolerance. though, the effectiveness of such words on social bridging the yawning gap that once existed One blogger observed, “The reason we have a media is frequently questioned, the penetration between government and the ordinary Kenyans. large audience unmatched by these media houses Kayamba, Africa's lead vocalist wrote on his rate of social media in Kenya is beyond is because we tell the truth. We report it as it is Facebook account: "Friends , I have many friends questioning. Since it is believed that those who Government officials would be certainly careful and do not go into the bed with politicians. We from all walks of life, including all tribes in use social media can shape public opinion, and so as to discharge their duties efficiently and cannot be manipulated.” Kenya, however they do not include a tribe that can easily influence those without access to the effectively being aware of the fact that every step uses indecent, abusive, language and pictures internet, the soothing effects of such brief words they take and every decision they make would be The intense competition in the media landscape against one another, I will block you , whichever thoroughly monitored, scrutinized, analyzed, and by bloggers and other social media enthusiasts has on social media and their ability to calm the side you are for or against, one love!" nerves of disgruntled people cannot be over- judged on social media by the tech-savvy forced the traditional media to sit up and to also Kenyans. ensure that their reportage is devoid of bias and Similarly, Grapevine TV host, Anyiko Owoko emphasized. prejudice that portray their political leanings in decried the spate of tribal remarks on her Twitter One would not be far from right to admit that 7.0 CONCLUSIONS order for them to retain their audience, as already account: "I feel as sad as I felt after the 07 social media played a wonderful role in ensuring In spite of all the fears and uncertainties, the many Kenyans are switching from the traditional elections. Only this time, nobody was killed but the credible election and the peace that the Kenya elections came to a peaceful end. Though media to social media for accurate, fair and real tribalism was resurrected in the name of country saw and enjoyed in its elections. Social many feared social media would be instrumental time news. democracy." media acted as enabler providing a positive role in in fostering violence through the transmission of Fifthly, Social media gave Kenyans a powerful Radio presenter, Linda Adongo however mediating divergent perspectives, and ensured a hate speech, it rather proved to be a powerful tool platform and a timely opportunity to add their expressed optimism, "Like animal farm, national vision of unity and cohesion. It served as for social activism, a channel for political voice to the never-ending calls for peace in the redemption song we shall sing. One day equality an avenue for dialogue that went a long way to campaigns and an avenue for civic engagement elections. Kenyans turned to social media in will be the real. The biggest tribe will be Kenyan. minimize polarization and reoriented the people and participation in the entire political process. through brief but constant reminders that they are droves to appeal to their fellow countrymen to be For now we wait ha!" Gradually, social media is shifting the balance of one people with a common destiny. tolerant and exercise patience in order not to mar power in favor of the citizens, and thus, the the beauty of the democratic exercise. The call for Kiko Romeo's Ann McCreath appealed for patience and tolerance: "The electoral process was The credit for the successful and peaceful election "World is becoming more democratic and peace constantly reverberated throughout the can be rightly shared between the government reflective of the will of ordinary people." It seems pages of Facebook and Twitter. a mess, but we were patient with the #IEBC. Let's be a bit more patient with the court and wait for who tirelessly put in place pragmatic measures to ordinary citizens who hitherto had no say in the When tribal verbal attacks raised its ugly head in their opinion on whatever evidence is tabled. Let's ensure that the freedom of expression is not day to day running of the affairs of the nation the election on especially social media, Kenyan be tolerant of diverse opinions & cultures. I long abused, and the peace-loving tech-savvy Kenyans have found their voice on social media, and are celebrities74, important personalities and the for the day when we talk political ideologies and who relentlessly cautioned their colleagues therefore contributing to political discussions and ordinary people found no convenient platform to respect the divergence regardless of who voices against the use of provocative speech and even helping shape the national agenda. condemned those who did that when necessary. debunk and denounce them than on popular social them." Despite assurances that there would be no repeat media platforms. The Moipei quartet account read in a worshipful Though the elections have ended, it is apparent of the election violence that left more than 1000 Many of them turned to Facebook and Twitter to tone: "Let us not forget God now that the that social media would continue to serve as a Kenyans dead in 2007, there were few incidents condemn the vitriolic remarks posted online. They elections have passed, let us praise him day and valuable tool in the hands of both elected political of violence as the polls opened. For instance, an candidates and the general public. It would armed attack on a police station in Mombasa night till the end of time. God Bless Kenya." 74 Kerongo, Grace (March 12, 2013).“Kenyans Celebs killed 10 people including two police personnel Deal with Tribalism Online” Last but not least, powerful slogans such as “Give 75 Gogineni, Roopa“'Vote wisely, vote for peace' social just hours before voting kicked off. The attack http://allafrica.com/stories/201303121417.html peace a chance”, “vote for peace”, “say no to media comments on Kenyan elections” http://www.english.rfi.fr/node/145427 was blamed on a secessionist group known as the Mombasa Republican Council. According to The major cause of violence in the 2007 post- political aspirants, political parties, CSOs, NGOs, Peter Kenneth performed abysmally in the polls reports, in the coastal town of Kilifi, men armed election violence was the propagation of hate and the security services, technology firms, and the but he had an impressive Facebook following. By with machetes attacked and killed five people at a dangerous speech by both politicians and other electorates – showed a strong presence on social Facebook following Kenneth was just behind polling station. Another incident was a stampede Kenyans. During the 2013 general elections, hate media. Martha Karua and Uhuru Kenyatta, with 242,340 in Ketengela that left 20 people in need of medical and dangerous speech was profoundly addressed and 449,885 followers respectively. Kenneth’s attention.76 through many channels, including social media. Social media affected almost every facet of the 205,000 followers far surpassed Raila Odinga’s The government and other stakeholders in the elections – from campaigning, through monitoring 122,800 followers or Musalia Mudavadi’s 33,000, Despite these few pockets of violence and elections made sure that the Social media platform of the electoral proceedings to the incessant calls though both beat him in terms of real votes. The skirmishes, the elections generally were became an avenue for political discussions and for peace. This begs the question: Did the case of Peter Kenneth is just the same with successful and peaceful. Social media networks not a platform for spreading provocative influence of social media affect the electoral Martha Karua, who garnered just 43,881 votes, far Facebook and particularly Twitter were awash messages. outcome also? In other words, did the popularity less than the whopping number of people with praises from Kenyans, who have been of the political candidates and their parties on 77 (242,340) who ‘liked’ her on Facebook. impressed with the peaceful nature of the In general, the contribution of social media social media have any correlation to real votes on elections. Kenyans on Twitter also praised voters towards ensuring peaceful elections in Kenya the ground? This inconsistency in both virtual and real support and congratulated one another for exercising cannot be gainsaid. In Kenya, majority of those gives rise to several conclusions: patience and tolerance to make the elections a who use social media are mostly literates and they It is worthy to note that the fight for votes began success. wield the ability to influence both public opinion on Social Media where the presidential candidates 1. From the above, it appears that higher virtual and actions of people. The influence of these few frantically sought the attention of each and every support on social media does not have any impact 7.1 Did Social Media Contribute people was very important in promoting peace. Kenyan with campaign promises, colorful pictures on real votes. To solve the puzzle as to why some towards ensuring peace? Social media was very significant in influencing of their campaign tours and rallies, and updates on aspirants had more virtual votes than real votes, it the sophisticated online community to be first of their political activities. It was a step in the right could be explained by the fact that those Interestingly, whilst some have hailed the positive all peaceful and secondly to exert their influence direction since global politics are currently candidates attracted the following of international role social media played in the elections, others on their communities for peace. affected by the influence of social media; social fans, individuals who failed to vote or probably think that its inevitable adoption in the elections network users are believed to be more politically Kenyans who like their personalities but voted for was unnecessary since it added nothing Indeed, Social media afforded Kenyans an engaged. In this technological epoch, the more either of the leading contenders because they felt meaningful to the electoral process but rather additional platform to advocate for peaceful “Likes” and the more “followers” politicians that a vote for Karua or Kenneth would be a caused unnecessary anxiety in terms of derisive elections. It afforded the ordinary Kenyan an acquire on Facebook and Twitter respectively wasted vote since they don’t stand a better chance posts and comments by unprincipled users. opportunity to add his or her voice to the incessant could correspondingly increase their popularity of winning the elections. In such cases, the virtual plea for peace in the elections. and brighten their chances of capturing the highest votes will have no impact on actual votes. Despite the huge amount of resources, time and office of the land. energy that were committed to monitoring social Social Media thus complemented the efforts by 2. The tribal element cannot be ruled out in many media there were still pockets of violence. the government, the electoral body, civil society Many of the presidential candidates performed an African election. Social media indeed played However, there were no major violent incidents organizations (CSOs), non-governmental excellently on social media especially Facebook an influential role in the elections – but not in the that could have plunged the whole country into organizations (NGOs), and the security service in in terms of virtual support. Peter Kenneth, Martha selection of the presidential candidate and other mayhem akin to the 2007 post-election violence. achieving peaceful elections. Karua, Uhuru Kenyatta, Raila Odinga and political victors. This is because elections in This is because measures were put in place to Mudavadi all garnered significant support on tackle the causes of violence. 7.2 Was the electoral outcome shaped by Social Media. However, it seemed massive social media? support on social media did not translate into real 77 OPINION: Lessons from Kenya’s elections on virtual votes on the ground. Some of the presidential Social Media has proven to be an integral part of versus real votes 76 Voters Go To The Polls In Kenya (UPDATED), Social aspirants garnered more “likes” on their Facebook (http://www.humanipo.com/news/4530/OPINION- Media Reaction (http://african.howzit.msn.com/voters- the 2013 Kenyan general elections. All the major pages than the number of votes they got on the Lessons-from-Kenyas-elections-on-virtual-versus-real- go-to-the-polls-in-kenya-updated) stakeholders in the elections – the government, Election Day. votes) Mombasa Republican Council. According to The major cause of violence in the 2007 post- political aspirants, political parties, CSOs, NGOs, Peter Kenneth performed abysmally in the polls reports, in the coastal town of Kilifi, men armed election violence was the propagation of hate and the security services, technology firms, and the but he had an impressive Facebook following. By with machetes attacked and killed five people at a dangerous speech by both politicians and other electorates – showed a strong presence on social Facebook following Kenneth was just behind polling station. Another incident was a stampede Kenyans. During the 2013 general elections, hate media. Martha Karua and Uhuru Kenyatta, with 242,340 in Ketengela that left 20 people in need of medical and dangerous speech was profoundly addressed and 449,885 followers respectively. Kenneth’s attention.76 through many channels, including social media. Social media affected almost every facet of the 205,000 followers far surpassed Raila Odinga’s The government and other stakeholders in the elections – from campaigning, through monitoring 122,800 followers or Musalia Mudavadi’s 33,000, Despite these few pockets of violence and elections made sure that the Social media platform of the electoral proceedings to the incessant calls though both beat him in terms of real votes. The skirmishes, the elections generally were became an avenue for political discussions and for peace. This begs the question: Did the case of Peter Kenneth is just the same with successful and peaceful. Social media networks not a platform for spreading provocative influence of social media affect the electoral Martha Karua, who garnered just 43,881 votes, far Facebook and particularly Twitter were awash messages. outcome also? In other words, did the popularity less than the whopping number of people with praises from Kenyans, who have been of the political candidates and their parties on 77 (242,340) who ‘liked’ her on Facebook. impressed with the peaceful nature of the In general, the contribution of social media social media have any correlation to real votes on elections. Kenyans on Twitter also praised voters towards ensuring peaceful elections in Kenya the ground? This inconsistency in both virtual and real support and congratulated one another for exercising cannot be gainsaid. In Kenya, majority of those gives rise to several conclusions: patience and tolerance to make the elections a who use social media are mostly literates and they It is worthy to note that the fight for votes began success. wield the ability to influence both public opinion on Social Media where the presidential candidates 1. From the above, it appears that higher virtual and actions of people. The influence of these few frantically sought the attention of each and every support on social media does not have any impact 7.1 Did Social Media Contribute people was very important in promoting peace. Kenyan with campaign promises, colorful pictures on real votes. To solve the puzzle as to why some towards ensuring peace? Social media was very significant in influencing of their campaign tours and rallies, and updates on aspirants had more virtual votes than real votes, it the sophisticated online community to be first of their political activities. It was a step in the right could be explained by the fact that those Interestingly, whilst some have hailed the positive all peaceful and secondly to exert their influence direction since global politics are currently candidates attracted the following of international role social media played in the elections, others on their communities for peace. affected by the influence of social media; social fans, individuals who failed to vote or probably think that its inevitable adoption in the elections network users are believed to be more politically Kenyans who like their personalities but voted for was unnecessary since it added nothing Indeed, Social media afforded Kenyans an engaged. In this technological epoch, the more either of the leading contenders because they felt meaningful to the electoral process but rather additional platform to advocate for peaceful “Likes” and the more “followers” politicians that a vote for Karua or Kenneth would be a caused unnecessary anxiety in terms of derisive elections. It afforded the ordinary Kenyan an acquire on Facebook and Twitter respectively wasted vote since they don’t stand a better chance posts and comments by unprincipled users. opportunity to add his or her voice to the incessant could correspondingly increase their popularity of winning the elections. In such cases, the virtual plea for peace in the elections. and brighten their chances of capturing the highest votes will have no impact on actual votes. Despite the huge amount of resources, time and office of the land. energy that were committed to monitoring social Social Media thus complemented the efforts by 2. The tribal element cannot be ruled out in many media there were still pockets of violence. the government, the electoral body, civil society Many of the presidential candidates performed an African election. Social media indeed played However, there were no major violent incidents organizations (CSOs), non-governmental excellently on social media especially Facebook an influential role in the elections – but not in the that could have plunged the whole country into organizations (NGOs), and the security service in in terms of virtual support. Peter Kenneth, Martha selection of the presidential candidate and other mayhem akin to the 2007 post-election violence. achieving peaceful elections. Karua, Uhuru Kenyatta, Raila Odinga and political victors. This is because elections in This is because measures were put in place to Mudavadi all garnered significant support on tackle the causes of violence. 7.2 Was the electoral outcome shaped by Social Media. However, it seemed massive social media? support on social media did not translate into real 77 OPINION: Lessons from Kenya’s elections on virtual votes on the ground. Some of the presidential Social Media has proven to be an integral part of versus real votes 76 Voters Go To The Polls In Kenya (UPDATED), Social aspirants garnered more “likes” on their Facebook (http://www.humanipo.com/news/4530/OPINION- Media Reaction (http://african.howzit.msn.com/voters- the 2013 Kenyan general elections. All the major pages than the number of votes they got on the Lessons-from-Kenyas-elections-on-virtual-versus-real- go-to-the-polls-in-kenya-updated) stakeholders in the elections – the government, Election Day. votes) Africa in general are mainly determined by ethnic elites or tech-savvy supporters since it a fact that heavy online presence of the other two, Kenyatta 7.3 Social Media Deepens Kenya’s alignments and loyalty. illiterates constitute a majority of the population and Odinga, was not surprising at all but very Democracy in most African nations including Kenya. natural since they were the leading contenders in It doesn’t matter how impressive a candidate’s the elections and anyone of them was tipped by The Kenya elections have clearly demonstrated manifesto is or how intimidating his supporters on Nevertheless, it would be wrong to dismiss social many to be the next Kenyan president. the positive role social media can play in an social media are. Africans especially vote not only media numbers as entirely irrelevant. The fact that African election. Indeed, the new media has come for people they can identify with but candidates the statistics did not hold true for some candidates In sum, Social media in itself holds very little to stay and it will continue to be a force to reckon who they believe can represent them as a people does not mean that virtual support cannot translate chance in determining an electoral outcome. with in every major elections. It would continue to and champion their interests. To many Africans, into real votes. For instance, the presidential Being popular on social media alone is not be used by political candidates and electorates to such people are mostly their fellow tribesmen and candidate with the largest followings on Facebook enough to win more real votes on Election Day. pursue their interests and constantly provide equal women. Also, because of deep-seated tribalism and Twitter, Uhuru Kenyatta emerged the winner. Candidates who enjoy massive support on social platform to both the former and the latter to and the “us versus them” attitude, people feel their His combined social media following on media and go on to win elections are the same discuss the challenges of their country and how existence and interests are threatened if the men in Facebook and Twitter was around 571,870. ones who already had tremendous support in the best they can be addressed. the corridors of power do not hail from their Accordingly, Uhuru Kenyatta garnered 6.17 real world. Therefore, it can be concluded that, ethnic groups or tribes. million votes which were more than ten times his those who are very popular on the ground The positive contributions of social media social media following. In this instance, virtual inevitably become popular on social media and towards the Kenyan elections and the country’s Most people in Africa feel content to have their votes translated into actual votes and thus it seems this increases their chances of capturing political democracy in general were immense. Social own tribesman in charge of affairs even if he is popularity on social media could influence power. media greatly enhanced civic participation in the corrupt and lacks the abilities, knowledge and electoral outcome, though not all his online or elections via voter education. It also helped experience to discharge his duties. Very few Uhuru Kenyatta and President Obama of USA are social media supporters might have actually voted bombard Kenyans with countless peace messages people vote based on competency in especially typical examples. On the ground, they were very for him. while addressing the use of provocative speech. Africa. popular and this reflected on social media in terms Social Media reports helped the security agencies It appears Social Media has the power to shape of huge virtual followers. They could then go to act swiftly to both potential and actual violent 3. Social media does not provide an accurate electoral results considering the fact that the ahead to win the presidential seat. incidents by linking the security agencies to gauge of the electoral chances of the candidates winner of the Kenya elections was also the most ordinary citizens through social media monitoring since it does not provide a uniform representation popular on social media. According to statistics, On the other hand, it is virtually impossible for bodies. of voters on the internet. A candidate can have the online community in the run-up to the candidates with very low support on the ground low popularity on social media but may however but enjoy massive popularity on social media to elections mentioned three presidential candidates There is a positive correlation between credible be highly popular on the ground. What this means win elections. A significant case in point is the the most, starting with Abduba Dida followed by elections and democratic consolidation. While is that, a candidate can have a larger sector of Kenyan presidential aspirants Abduba Duba and Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga. unsuccessful elections mar the democratic supporters who might not be technologically Martha Karua who according to statistics were exercise, credible elections strengthen the relevant literate or may not have access to the internet due There is a correlation here between these statistics highly mentioned by the online community political institutions, deepen the tenets of to their geological location or economic standing. and the actual voting patterns, except for Dida, together with Kenyatta and Odinga. Martha Karua democracy and – not least – grant the eventual who was a distant fifth in the election. The other for instance had a large Facebook support. winner the much needed legitimacy. Thus, Social In other words, candidates who have a higher two, Kenyatta and Odinga, were first and second Media significantly enhanced Kenya’s democracy number of tech-savvy supporters would enjoy respectively after the vote count. But since they had no real support on the ground, massive support on social media whereas their popularity on social media with the online by contributing to the country’s free and fair candidates whose main supporters comprise However, it can also be argued that the striking community was next to nothing since the total elections. illiterates may not show a strong presence on performance by Kenyatta and Odinga in terms of number of votes they got in the actual elections Every successful election in any country is a social media. However, on the ground the actual votes amassed was not precipitated by their did not reflect their online support. Abduba Dida major feat for Democracy since multi-party candidate with many illiterate supporters or less massive online popularity. This is because both came fifth in the elections while Martha Karua democracy hinges on free, fair and credible technologically inclined may be more popular Kenyatta and Odinga already enjoyed great finished sixth. elections. It is during elections that the power of than the one who commands the following of popularity on the ground. Apart from Dida, the Africa in general are mainly determined by ethnic elites or tech-savvy supporters since it a fact that heavy online presence of the other two, Kenyatta 7.3 Social Media Deepens Kenya’s alignments and loyalty. illiterates constitute a majority of the population and Odinga, was not surprising at all but very Democracy in most African nations including Kenya. natural since they were the leading contenders in It doesn’t matter how impressive a candidate’s the elections and anyone of them was tipped by The Kenya elections have clearly demonstrated manifesto is or how intimidating his supporters on Nevertheless, it would be wrong to dismiss social many to be the next Kenyan president. the positive role social media can play in an social media are. Africans especially vote not only media numbers as entirely irrelevant. The fact that African election. Indeed, the new media has come for people they can identify with but candidates the statistics did not hold true for some candidates In sum, Social media in itself holds very little to stay and it will continue to be a force to reckon who they believe can represent them as a people does not mean that virtual support cannot translate chance in determining an electoral outcome. with in every major elections. It would continue to and champion their interests. To many Africans, into real votes. For instance, the presidential Being popular on social media alone is not be used by political candidates and electorates to such people are mostly their fellow tribesmen and candidate with the largest followings on Facebook enough to win more real votes on Election Day. pursue their interests and constantly provide equal women. Also, because of deep-seated tribalism and Twitter, Uhuru Kenyatta emerged the winner. Candidates who enjoy massive support on social platform to both the former and the latter to and the “us versus them” attitude, people feel their His combined social media following on media and go on to win elections are the same discuss the challenges of their country and how existence and interests are threatened if the men in Facebook and Twitter was around 571,870. ones who already had tremendous support in the best they can be addressed. the corridors of power do not hail from their Accordingly, Uhuru Kenyatta garnered 6.17 real world. Therefore, it can be concluded that, ethnic groups or tribes. million votes which were more than ten times his those who are very popular on the ground The positive contributions of social media social media following. In this instance, virtual inevitably become popular on social media and towards the Kenyan elections and the country’s Most people in Africa feel content to have their votes translated into actual votes and thus it seems this increases their chances of capturing political democracy in general were immense. Social own tribesman in charge of affairs even if he is popularity on social media could influence power. media greatly enhanced civic participation in the corrupt and lacks the abilities, knowledge and electoral outcome, though not all his online or elections via voter education. It also helped experience to discharge his duties. Very few Uhuru Kenyatta and President Obama of USA are social media supporters might have actually voted bombard Kenyans with countless peace messages people vote based on competency in especially typical examples. On the ground, they were very for him. while addressing the use of provocative speech. Africa. popular and this reflected on social media in terms Social Media reports helped the security agencies It appears Social Media has the power to shape of huge virtual followers. They could then go to act swiftly to both potential and actual violent 3. Social media does not provide an accurate electoral results considering the fact that the ahead to win the presidential seat. incidents by linking the security agencies to gauge of the electoral chances of the candidates winner of the Kenya elections was also the most ordinary citizens through social media monitoring since it does not provide a uniform representation popular on social media. According to statistics, On the other hand, it is virtually impossible for bodies. of voters on the internet. A candidate can have the online community in the run-up to the candidates with very low support on the ground low popularity on social media but may however but enjoy massive popularity on social media to elections mentioned three presidential candidates There is a positive correlation between credible be highly popular on the ground. What this means win elections. A significant case in point is the the most, starting with Abduba Dida followed by elections and democratic consolidation. While is that, a candidate can have a larger sector of Kenyan presidential aspirants Abduba Duba and Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga. unsuccessful elections mar the democratic supporters who might not be technologically Martha Karua who according to statistics were exercise, credible elections strengthen the relevant literate or may not have access to the internet due There is a correlation here between these statistics highly mentioned by the online community political institutions, deepen the tenets of to their geological location or economic standing. and the actual voting patterns, except for Dida, together with Kenyatta and Odinga. Martha Karua democracy and – not least – grant the eventual who was a distant fifth in the election. The other for instance had a large Facebook support. winner the much needed legitimacy. Thus, Social In other words, candidates who have a higher two, Kenyatta and Odinga, were first and second Media significantly enhanced Kenya’s democracy number of tech-savvy supporters would enjoy respectively after the vote count. But since they had no real support on the ground, massive support on social media whereas their popularity on social media with the online by contributing to the country’s free and fair candidates whose main supporters comprise However, it can also be argued that the striking community was next to nothing since the total elections. illiterates may not show a strong presence on performance by Kenyatta and Odinga in terms of number of votes they got in the actual elections Every successful election in any country is a social media. However, on the ground the actual votes amassed was not precipitated by their did not reflect their online support. Abduba Dida major feat for Democracy since multi-party candidate with many illiterate supporters or less massive online popularity. This is because both came fifth in the elections while Martha Karua democracy hinges on free, fair and credible technologically inclined may be more popular Kenyatta and Odinga already enjoyed great finished sixth. elections. It is during elections that the power of than the one who commands the following of popularity on the ground. Apart from Dida, the the common citizen is clearly seen and accorded charge, and are therefore prepared to fully patriotism to accelerate the development of their Third, vitriolic speech is not the only catalyst for the attention it deserves. With the thumb, citizens cooperate with them. beloved country in absolute democratic freedom. violence. Much electoral violence in Africa have wield the power to elevate people to higher public been caused by polling clerk bias, perceived vote offices of the land or eliminate public officials Whilst many bodies, institutions, agencies, and 8.0 RECOMMENDATIONS doctoring, suspicions of electoral fraud and who are deemed non-performing or corrupt. other factors contributed to the success of the manipulations by the government in power in Successful elections give meaning to the old but elections, the contributions of social media Despite the role of social media in tackling collaboration with the electoral commission. timeless definition of Democracy as “a rule of the towards the 2013 Kenyan elections conspicuously incitement and hate speech, there were still few Thus, tackling hate or dangerous language on people, by the people and for the people”. stand out. It completely opened up the electoral pockets of violence in the elections. Thus the social media and even the traditional media is not Elections enable citizens to not only hold the space and empowered the Kenyan people from all following actions points are recommended: one-time antidote to electoral violence. Hence, the people into whose hands they entrusted their walks of life to monitor and contribute to every independent electoral and boundaries commission First, Social media is not the only platform for the power accountable, but to also have a powerful stage of the election proceedings till it finally (IEBC) and other relevant state institutions should dissemination of hate and dangerous speech. The say in the process of shaping the national agenda came to an end. It is therefore no wonder why all perform above board by continuing to discharge traditional media and mobile phones are other and steering the affairs of the state through their the relevant stakeholders in the elections were their duties with complete independence and means for the propagation of provocative elected representatives. The will of the people heavily present on social media. Social Media fairness to win the trust and confidence of all messages and this was evidenced by the 2007 therefore reigns supreme in governance. seemed to be the most utilized tool in the Kenyan Kenyans. This will help avert any suspicion of post-election violence where both the traditional elections, and its role went a long way to electoral fraud and manipulations and make it media and mobile phones played sinister roles in Needless to say, the democratic process is minimize any tendency towards electoral bias, easier for citizens to accept the electoral outcome inflaming passions and fueling tensions. deepened and consolidated when the choosing of manipulation, fraud or even tribalism which could whether or not it is in their favour. a nation’s leaders are successful and credible. On have caused ethnic-based violence and distorted Therefore, other platforms such as the traditional the other hand, the process is derailed when this the whole process. media which were accorded the same attention Fourth, the introduction of technology and vital electoral exercise is compromised by and vigilance given to social media in the 2013 technologically savvy monitoring teams into the irregularities, fraud and mayhem. The 2007 Using the success of the elections as a launch pad Kenya elections should be constantly monitored elections to identify, publish and condemn the use Kenyan electoral disputes and the subsequent and a political spring board for future credible and together with social media in subsequent of hate and dangerous speech on social media was violent outbursts is a case in point. In such cases, transparent elections, Kenya has steadily set off elections. highly commendable and needs to be replicated in the will of the people is not reflected in towards the path of democratic consolidation as any subsequent Kenyan elections and other major Second, though Kenya is one of the most active governance and the legitimacy of the leaders is their political institutions become more African elections. social media users in the African sub-region, a not only questioned but resented. Indeed, the independent and strong. The vital political large chunk of the population does not use the failure of the electoral process can plunge the institutions have been tested and stretched to their Last but not least, technological devices used by internet or social media. There are approximately whole country into a mob rule or worse still, an limits without crumbling in the midst of a the IEBC should be acquired in a considerable 42million Kenyans whereas it is estimated that authoritarian regime where the freedom of the turbulent whirlwind of pressure and agitation time before the elections and should be less than 3million Kenyans use Facebook and people to whom power belongs is sometimes from every angle. thoroughly tested to prevent future technological Twitter. The few who use social media are mostly woefully curtailed. hitches which the IEBC encountered during the The successful nature of the 2013 Kenya elections the urban-dwellers. Thus, targeting only social voting and tallying processes. The success of the 2013 Kenyan elections is a has ignited a flickering flame of hope in the hearts media users in an attempt to curb the spread of major leap towards democratic consolidation and of Kenyans and lighted up their eyes with firmly inciting postings would be a flawed exercise since grounded optimism about their democratic future. the deepening of the democratic process in Kenya. there are majority of Kenyans who are not on The new leaders are armed with the important It seems Kenyans can now confidently say a social media. As a result, pragmatic steps must be conviction that they have the legitimacy to control warm and permanent farewell to the depressing, rolled out targeting the many rural non-social the direction of the state for a four-year tenure. distressing and dehumanizing era of electoral media users. The people are likewise confident that those violence. It is now time for Kenyans to forge elected are the ones they truly want to be in ahead into the future in unity, love, hope and the common citizen is clearly seen and accorded charge, and are therefore prepared to fully patriotism to accelerate the development of their Third, vitriolic speech is not the only catalyst for the attention it deserves. With the thumb, citizens cooperate with them. beloved country in absolute democratic freedom. violence. Much electoral violence in Africa have wield the power to elevate people to higher public been caused by polling clerk bias, perceived vote offices of the land or eliminate public officials Whilst many bodies, institutions, agencies, and 8.0 RECOMMENDATIONS doctoring, suspicions of electoral fraud and who are deemed non-performing or corrupt. other factors contributed to the success of the manipulations by the government in power in Successful elections give meaning to the old but elections, the contributions of social media Despite the role of social media in tackling collaboration with the electoral commission. timeless definition of Democracy as “a rule of the towards the 2013 Kenyan elections conspicuously incitement and hate speech, there were still few Thus, tackling hate or dangerous language on people, by the people and for the people”. stand out. It completely opened up the electoral pockets of violence in the elections. Thus the social media and even the traditional media is not Elections enable citizens to not only hold the space and empowered the Kenyan people from all following actions points are recommended: one-time antidote to electoral violence. Hence, the people into whose hands they entrusted their walks of life to monitor and contribute to every independent electoral and boundaries commission First, Social media is not the only platform for the power accountable, but to also have a powerful stage of the election proceedings till it finally (IEBC) and other relevant state institutions should dissemination of hate and dangerous speech. The say in the process of shaping the national agenda came to an end. It is therefore no wonder why all perform above board by continuing to discharge traditional media and mobile phones are other and steering the affairs of the state through their the relevant stakeholders in the elections were their duties with complete independence and means for the propagation of provocative elected representatives. The will of the people heavily present on social media. Social Media fairness to win the trust and confidence of all messages and this was evidenced by the 2007 therefore reigns supreme in governance. seemed to be the most utilized tool in the Kenyan Kenyans. This will help avert any suspicion of post-election violence where both the traditional elections, and its role went a long way to electoral fraud and manipulations and make it media and mobile phones played sinister roles in Needless to say, the democratic process is minimize any tendency towards electoral bias, easier for citizens to accept the electoral outcome inflaming passions and fueling tensions. deepened and consolidated when the choosing of manipulation, fraud or even tribalism which could whether or not it is in their favour. a nation’s leaders are successful and credible. On have caused ethnic-based violence and distorted Therefore, other platforms such as the traditional the other hand, the process is derailed when this the whole process. media which were accorded the same attention Fourth, the introduction of technology and vital electoral exercise is compromised by and vigilance given to social media in the 2013 technologically savvy monitoring teams into the irregularities, fraud and mayhem. The 2007 Using the success of the elections as a launch pad Kenya elections should be constantly monitored elections to identify, publish and condemn the use Kenyan electoral disputes and the subsequent and a political spring board for future credible and together with social media in subsequent of hate and dangerous speech on social media was violent outbursts is a case in point. In such cases, transparent elections, Kenya has steadily set off elections. highly commendable and needs to be replicated in the will of the people is not reflected in towards the path of democratic consolidation as any subsequent Kenyan elections and other major Second, though Kenya is one of the most active governance and the legitimacy of the leaders is their political institutions become more African elections. social media users in the African sub-region, a not only questioned but resented. Indeed, the independent and strong. The vital political large chunk of the population does not use the failure of the electoral process can plunge the institutions have been tested and stretched to their Last but not least, technological devices used by internet or social media. There are approximately whole country into a mob rule or worse still, an limits without crumbling in the midst of a the IEBC should be acquired in a considerable 42million Kenyans whereas it is estimated that authoritarian regime where the freedom of the turbulent whirlwind of pressure and agitation time before the elections and should be less than 3million Kenyans use Facebook and people to whom power belongs is sometimes from every angle. thoroughly tested to prevent future technological Twitter. The few who use social media are mostly woefully curtailed. hitches which the IEBC encountered during the The successful nature of the 2013 Kenya elections the urban-dwellers. Thus, targeting only social voting and tallying processes. The success of the 2013 Kenyan elections is a has ignited a flickering flame of hope in the hearts media users in an attempt to curb the spread of major leap towards democratic consolidation and of Kenyans and lighted up their eyes with firmly inciting postings would be a flawed exercise since grounded optimism about their democratic future. the deepening of the democratic process in Kenya. there are majority of Kenyans who are not on The new leaders are armed with the important It seems Kenyans can now confidently say a social media. As a result, pragmatic steps must be conviction that they have the legitimacy to control warm and permanent farewell to the depressing, rolled out targeting the many rural non-social the direction of the state for a four-year tenure. distressing and dehumanizing era of electoral media users. The people are likewise confident that those violence. 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