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With general elections just around the corner in Kenya, anxiety is looming everywhere. Aspirants are looking for ways and means to woo voters to their sides.
With general elections just around the corner in Kenya, anxiety is looming everywhere. Aspirants are looking for ways and means to woo voters to their sides. Unlike ten years ago, things have changed in Kenya, with most voters now sure of what they want. However, there are still others who feel voting does not bring much difference in their lives. They have not realized the power of the vote; that their vote determines the life they want. The Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) has played an important role in providing civic education programmes all over the country.
In promoting responsible citizen participation in the electoral process, Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) and Media Focus on Africa Foundation (MFAF) have collaborated to reach out to the marginalized communities through providing voter education. They are doing this through ALIN’s Volunteers who are based in various parts of the country. The volunteers are using mobile phones to reach out to these marginalized communities.
Mobile phones are now changing the face of democracy since it is giving the rural communities a voice. AfricaNews was the first to introduce mobile reporting in Africa as a way of giving a voice to everyone across the continent.
Through the mobile phones, members of marginalized communities are touching on issues that directly affect their lives with regards to December General elections to be conducted in Kenya. Some of the issues they are handling are:
• Political leadership and Accountability
• Corruption and mismanagement of public funds
• Ethnicity, incitement and hate speech
• The role of the Youth in politics
• Poverty, inequality and unemployment
• Women in electoral politics
• Enacting a new constitution
• Peace, Insecurity and Human Rights
The volunteers conduct interviews on these issues which are then uploaded to the SKOEPS website and MFAF website. Commenting on this initiative, a lady in Garissa said, ‘this mobile phone is a good idea and it is giving us an opportunity to be heard. It will be good if the rest of the country can really see what is happening in these other parts of the country!’
So far, the rural communities are so eager to give information on the various voter education themes especially now that they are hearing all sorts of promises from the aspirants.
With the voter education, the communities will be able to make informed choices and avoid making mistakes of electing tribes or parties instead of leaders, who are development conscious and who preaches peace.
By Diana Amollo,
Arid Lands Information Network-Eastern Africa (ALIN-EA),
AAYMCA Building, Ground Floor, Along State House Crescent, Off State House Road,
P.O. Box 10098-00100 G.P.O.,
Nairobi, Kenya.
Tel: +254 20 2731557,
Fax: +254 20 2737813,
E-mail: info@alin.or.ke
