The Role of Media in the Coverage of National Elections in Kenya

ABSTRACT The major objective of the study was to examine the role of the media in the coverage of national elections in Webuye District of Kenya. This follows the deep public concern on the need to understand the role of media especially how it guides people during and after elections. The study was conducted in Webuye town. A total of 60 respondents were chosen; 30 were mixture of media practitioners, sponsers and advertisers while the remaining 30 were selected from Webuye town to represent the voice of the community during the study. The data was collected using tranquilization formulae which involved grouping different methods of collecting data which included structured interview using interview schedule, in-depth interview in form of interview guide, focused group discussion using discussion guide, questionnaires and observation. The researcher was prompted to find out the role of media particularly the community radio stations, if they really report election events like mobilization of voter registration, influence on choices of parties, holding opinion polls, candidate interviews~ and party advertisements during national elections in Kenya. Conclusions and recommendations were then made after presenting and interpreting the data.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ........................................................................................................... i

APPROVAL ................................................................................................................ ii

DEDICATION ............................................................................................................ iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................................ iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................. v

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................ vii

CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................ 1

1.0 IN1RODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1

1.1 Background to the Study .......................................................................................... 1

1.1.1 Media and Elections in Kenya .................................................................... 3

1.1.2 Coordination of Kenyan media during election coverage ............................... 5

1.1.3 Media legislation on coverage of elections in Kenya ... ~································· ... 6

1.1.4 Support on media professionalism in Kenya .................................................... 6

1.1.5 Independence of media in Kenya ....................................................................... 7

1.1.6 Media as a vehicle for dialogue and reconciliation in Kenya ................... 7

1.2 The Statement of the Problem ........................................................................ 8

1.3 Objective of the study .................................................................................... 10

1.3.1 General objective ............................................................................................... I 0

1.3.2 Specific objectives ............................................................................................. 10

1.4 Research Questions ......................................................................................... 10

1.5 Scope of the study ........................................................................................... 11

1.6 Significance of the Study ............................................................................... 11

1. 7 Definitions of Key Concepts .......................................................................... 12

CHAPTER TWO .................................................................. : .................................... 13

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................... 13

2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 13

2.2 Themes of the Study ....................................................................................... 13

2.2.1 Media influence to voters ................................................................................. 14

2.2.2 Media programming during elections ............................................................. 17

2.2.3 Media coordination with the Electoral Commission of Kenya, government

and the voters ............................................................................................................. 17

2.2.4 Media constraints during coverage of national elections .............................. 17

2.2.5 The capacity of Kenyan media in providing forums for dialogue among

conflicting groups during election ............................................................................ 18

2.2.6 Media reports during national elections ...........•............................................. 18

2.3 Conceptual Frame Work ..................................................................................... 19

CHAPTER 'I'BREE ................................................................................................... 20

3.0 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................... 20

3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 20

3.2 Research Design ................................................................................................... 20

3.3 Area and Population of Study ............................................................................. 20

3.4 Sample Selection and Size ................................................................................... 21

3.5 Data Collection and Instruments ........................................................................ 22

3.5.1 Research Instruments .......................................................................................... 22

3.5.2 Procedures ......................................................................................................... 23

3.6 Data Analysis .................................................................................................. 24

3.7 Limitation of the Study .................................................................................. 24

V

CHAPTER FOUR ...................................................................................................... 25

4.0 RESEARCH AND INTERPRETATION .......................................................... 25

4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 25

4.2 To identify media programs designed to encourage citizen participation in

decision making that shape the country during and after elections ......................... 25

4.2.1 Party and candidates advertisements ............................................................... 26

4.2.2 Citizen participation ........................................................................................ 27

4.2.3 Party and candidate interviews ................................................................ 28

4.3 To analyze influence of media to the voters in making informed choices of

parties and candidates they wish to support during elections .................................. 29

4.3.1 Voter registration ............................................................................................ 29

4.3.2 Party and candidate choices ............................................................................ 30

4.3.3 Votertum-out .................................................................................................. 31

4.4 To find out the coordination between the media, Electoral Commission and

the government of Kenya towards realization of free and fair election ................... 31

4.5 To determine constraints that face journalists during elections coverage in

Kenya.33

4.6 To observe the capacity of the Radio in providing forums for dialogue

among conflicting groups to voice concerns during election in Kenya .................. .34

4.7 To correlate media monitoring reports on fair and unfair practices observed

during election coverage in Kenya ........................................................................... 36

4.7.1 Announcement ofElection results .................................................................. 36

4.7.2 Media reports on the winners and the losers after elections ........................... 38

4.7.3 Media reports election rigging complaints ............................................... 38

CHAPTER FIVE .......................................................................................................... 40

5.0 Introduction .................................................................................................. 40

5.1 Summary ...................................................................................................... 40

5 .2 Conclusion ................................................................................................... 41

.5.3 Recommendation for Policy ......................................................................... 44

5 .4 Recommendation for Further Research ...................................................... .44

REFERENCES ......................................................................................................... 45

APPENDICES ............................................................................................................ 46

APPENDIX I. RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE FORMATS ............................. .46

APPENDIX II. BUDGET .......................................................................................... 52

APPENDIX ID. WORK PLAN ................................................................................ 53