SOCIAL MEDIA SPHERES: How the Internet is Shifting the Power in Kenyan Politics

Abstract

More than half of the global population – roughly 3.96 billion people – now use social media. Kenya continues to be a technology hub in sub-Saharan Africa, as nearly half of its citizens use social media (including WhatsApp, Twitter, and Facebook), representing a 15% growth from last year. Over 73% of Kenyans use social media platforms to access news, putting them at the top of the chart world-wide.

Almost 90% of Kenyans have basic access to these platforms. Business have developed their mobile interface to ensure they are reaching customers. The Kenyan government was soon to follow; political candidates realized their local campaigning and grassroots efforts didn’t stand a chance against the candidates who had found a following online. In 2017, a first-time parliamentary candidate in Nairobi, Boniface Mwangi, was not connected to a political party, but his large following on Twitter pushed him into office. As the nation began to understand the power that social media holds, authorities were quick to crack down. Once notorious for tweaking the narratives traditional media was publishing, gaining control over social media became a priority, but it was too late.

Despite the country’s expanded freedom of expression in recent decades, many instances of extreme and brutal harassment continue to exist for those who question and speak out against the political grain. Traditional media acting as a parrot to the government has limited free expression. Kenyan youth quickly became frustrated with the undelivered promises of politicians. A sense of exclusion from politics and the decision-making that went on behind closed doors gave way to social media becoming an outlet for not only popular culture, but also their voice and redefining Kenyan culture in the 21st century.

I analyze how social media formed a new public sphere for citizens to engage in political discourse. The power dynamic has shifted; now, with more agency, Kenyans are taking the reins. A consistently corrupt democracy is seeing the power of the people; however, unemployment rates have soared in recent years, but no longer are citizens muffled by the government acting through traditional media. I dissect election data recorded by the IEBC, noting age discrepancies and which counties are meeting higher vote totals and which ones are not. I also traced the past ten years of Kenya’s “digital decade” to grapple with social media’s impact on its people as well as its politics. I found that social media can vote someone into office, can destroy a reputation, and has the power to expose secrets that may have never seen the light of day. Kenya has a history of weak media laws. While legislation could bring change, social media companies themselves must work to strengthen technological systems, in order to monitor and maintain the power they hold, so the power is not abused, and so the content is held to a high standard and not deemed untrue or manipulated by the government.

Statista: Internet: Social Media & User-Generated Content: Kenya

Statcounter: GlobalStats

Twitter: Boniface Mwangi; Nyabola, Digital Democracy, p. 115

LSE, “Social media and youth popular culture in Kenya can counter political exploitation”

Nyabola, Digital Democracy, p. iv