This year, Kenya has seen a notable shift with leaders increasingly using social media for political communication.
President William Ruto has been at the forefront of this trend, leveraging various platforms to connect with his audience and address pressing issues.
During the Gen Z protests in June, the president hosted X-Space to speak directly to Kenyan youth, listening to their grievances and articulating their concerns.
Other leaders are also adopting these digital tools, with some using platforms like TikTok to reach their audiences more effectively.
This growing prevalence highlights how social media is reshaping political discourse.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka expects social media, digital platforms and AI to play a pivotal role in future elections across Africa.
Kalonzo said this while speaking at the African Electoral Law and Governance Institute (ELGIA) regional conference in Nairobi on Tuesday. “It’s no surprise that politicians are moving to these platforms to conduct their campaigns, etc. Like it or not, these platforms are going to be used in future elections. Now is the time. It’s time to get things right.”
Ms Musyoka called on countries and electoral institutions to take advantage of these technologies while addressing the challenges they pose, particularly the threat of legal gaps and misinformation.
“To ensure electoral justice, it is important to progressively review the legal environment for elections. It must be done early and with the necessary transparency,” he said.
According to him, if used properly, AI has the potential to revolutionize the electoral process by making it faster, more secure, and scientifically verifiable.
However, the risks are equally significant.
“AI-generated content and materials, when used inappropriately, have been shown to close the gap between real and fake,” Musyoka warned.
“With all its benefits, AI has exposed the world to fabrication and quackery. We are said to be living in a post-truth era. When elements of this era are injected into electoral processes, they become a disaster. From manipulated facts to fake videos and images, the risks of misuse of AI are enormous.”
Mr Musyoka pointed to cases where statements and actions of individuals have been falsely attributed, making it almost impossible to deny.
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As Kenya moves forward with this digital transformation, it is clear that the integration of social media and AI into politics is both inevitable and complex.
“As I’ve already observed, people are changing too. It’s not just a matter of people adapting to election technology, it’s also a matter of election technology adapting to people.”
