Social media’s impact on polls
Viral campaigns are at the centre of Kenya’s election rerun
UNIVERSITY student Sylvans Omolo on Monday received a message on his phone which alleged that there was marking of ballot papers somewhere in western Kenya ahead of the October 26 polls.
Omolo, a fourth-year student, forwarded the message immediately to members of at least four WhatsApp groups.
Each group has at least 50 members, so in a split second, Omolo spread the message, the veracity of which he could not verify, to about 200 people.
And the people he spreads the message to similarly shared to others, with the content spreading across the country like bushfire. “I share the messages to spread the content, which I believe people should know. I get up to five such messages daily and I forward them,” said Omolo, noting that he does not believe he is doing something wrong. Other messages spreading on social media in Kenya include those castigating some communities, hate, fake news, threats and insults.
The fast spread of such messages, as the east African nation heads to one of the most contentious polls tomorrow poses fresh challenges to the country divided along political party and tribal lines, which the opposition National Super Alliance, headed by Raila Odinga has boycotted.
Citizens are either backing the ruling Jubilee Party’s President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has vowed to ensure elections take place, or Odinga. And social media is at the centre of it all with citizens discussing their partisan positions openly on platforms that include WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook.
“Voting is already under way in Mandera yet elections are three days away,” a message with a photo circulating on WhatsApp said. As with all other messages, there was no verification about the claims of rigging spread by the photo.
Aware of the threat social media platforms pose ahead of the elections, the government has moved to curb spread of hate, fake news and other messages.
The Communication Authority (CA) and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) yesterday warned citizens against the propagation of hate speech and other undesirable content on social media. “As the October 26 presidential election approaches, the attention has been drawn to misuse of electronic communications networks, particularly the social media platforms, to propagate hate speech and other undesirable content,” said CA director-general Francis Wangusi and NCIC chairperson Francis ole Kaparo.
“Hate messages have potential to polarise the country along tribal lines and to perpetuate fear.”
They urged bloggers, online news sites, political leaders and their followers to exercise restraint during this period.
According to the 2008 NCIC Act, anyone who contravenes the law is liable for a fine of $9 708 (R133 409) or imprisonment of three years. Prior to the August 8 polls, social media posed similar challenges with the CA threatening to shut the internet during the elections.
The problem has doubled, as the opposition has boycotted the elections and urged its supporters to do so, with the online contest taking tribal lines. Kenya has close to 10 million social media users, according to estimates by Social Bakers. The majority of these users are between 18-24 and 25-34 years with 64% of them male. – Xinhua