Abstract
This chapter examines the political use of the media—both traditional and new, including social media—in Kenya’s political and democratic processes. It argues that political use of the media is premised on the fact that they provide information, platforms and forums for information sharing, debate and analysis, and space and tools for political engagement, networking, mobilisation and propaganda. However, a critical interrogation of media use reveals that access and use is skewed towards the political elite and their issues. Accordingly, the ordinary populace is at the receiving end of political communication but is not actively involved in creating and disseminating political messages. Yet, despite the growing appropriation and use of media for political communication and propaganda, there is no guarantee that media will help generate the votes needed to win political contests and presidential elections.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
NASA is an amalgamation of various parties including the Orange Democratic Movement, the Wiper Democratic Movement and the Amani National Congress.
- 2.
The current Jubilee government is a coalition arrangement comprising two political parties, namely the United Republican Party and the National Alliance Party. The coalition has since been dissolved.
- 3.
Both Ory Okolloh and Daudi Were have established themselves as bloggers and online activists. Ory Okolloh, a co-founder of Ushahidi.com, pioneered the adoption and use of Google Maps to map out election-related violence in Kenya.
- 4.
Kamau, J. (2017). Photos: Kenyans on Twitter take on President Uhuru Kenyatta with #uhuruchallenge. The Standard Online, 9 January. Available at https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/ureport/article/2000229216/photos-kenyans-on-twitter-take-on-president-uhuru-kenyatta-with-uhuru. Accessed 28 February 2017.
References
Abdi, J., & Deane, J. (2008). The Kenyan 2007 elections and their aftermath: The role of media and communication. Policy Briefing No. 1. London: BBC World Service Trust.
Barber, B. (2001). The uncertainty of digital politics. Harvard International Review, 23(1), 42–47.
Bertrand, J. (2000). Media ethics and accountability systems. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers.
Blumler, J., & Gurevitch, M. (2005). Rethinking the study of political communication. In J. Curran & M. Gurevitch (Eds.), Mass media and society (4th ed., pp. 104–121). London: Arnold.
Castells, M. (2007). Communication, power and counter-power. International Journal of Communication, 1, 238–266.
Dahlgren, P. (1995). Television and the public sphere: Citizenship, democracy and the media. London: SAGE.
Errington, W., & Miragliotta, N. (2007). Media and politics: An introduction. Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press.
Franklin, B. (2004). Packaging politics: Political communications in Britain’s media democracy (2nd ed.). London: Arnold.
Gainous, J., & Wagner, K. (2014). Social media—the new dinner table? In J. Gainous & K. Wagner (Eds.), Tweeting to power: The social media revolution in American politics (pp. 1–19). New York: Oxford University Press.
Habermas, J. (1974). The public sphere: An encyclopedia article. New German Critique, 3(Autumn), 49–55.
Herman, E., & Chomsky, N. (1988). Manufacturing consent: The political economy of the mass media. New York, NY: Pantheon.
Kanyinga, K. (2014). Kenya: Democracy and political participation. Nairobi: Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa.
Louw, E. (2005). The media and political process. London: SAGE.
Makinen, M., & Kuira, W. (2008). Social media and post-election crisis in Kenya. The International Journal of Press & Politics, 13(3), 328–335.
McChesney, R. (1999). Rich media, poor democracy: Communication politics in dubious times. New York: The New Press.
McCombs, M., & Shaw, D. (1972). The agenda-setting function of mass media. Public Opinion Quarterly, 36, 176–187.
Nyabuga, G. (2012). Mediatising politics and democracy: Making sense of the role of the media in Kenya. Nairobi: Media Focus on Africa Foundation.
Nyabuga, G., & Mudhai, F. (2009). Misclick on democracy: New media use by key political parties in Kenya’s disputed December 2007 presidential election. In F. Mudhai, W. Tettey & F. Banda (Eds.), African media and the digital public sphere (pp. 41–56). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Nyamnjoh, F. (2005). Africa’s media: Democracy and the politics of belonging. London: Zed Books.
Odinga, C. (2013). Use of new media during the Kenya elections. Unpublished MA thesis, Uppsala University, Sweden.
Soules, M. (2015). Media, persuasion and propaganda. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
van Dijk, J. (2006). The network society (2nd ed.). London: SAGE.
Voltmer, K. (2006). The mass media and the dynamics of political communication in process of democratization: An introduction. In K. Voltmer (Ed.), Mass media and political communication in new democracies (pp. 1–17). London: Routledge.
Wanyande, P. (1996). The media as civil society and its role in democratic transition in Kenya. Africa Media Review, 10(3), 1–20.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Nyabuga, G., Ugangu, W. (2018). Romancing the Media: A Critical Interrogation of Political Communication in Presidential Elections in Kenya. In: Mutsvairo, B., Karam, B. (eds) Perspectives on Political Communication in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62057-2_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62057-2_12
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-62056-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-62057-2
eBook Packages: Literature, Cultural and Media StudiesLiterature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0)