The role of the media in voter education: the case of the 2007 Nairobi City Council elections

Abstract

This study examined the role played by media in the electoral formations and running of Local Authorities (LAs) in Kenya with a specific focus on the Nairobi City Council. Within the context of the 2007 general elections, the study explored the role played by media in providing salient and insightful content for voters that could have been relied upon to make informed decisions in the election of civic leaders in that election year. Specifically, the study examined the media content and nature of information availed to voters with regard to the election of Councilors to the Nairobi City Council. The study was primarily motivated by the well-documented phenomena of a failed local government system in Kenya symbolized by endemic corruption, deplorable delivery of services such as sanitation, infrastructure and security among other basic services required for the wellbeing of residents within LAs jurisdictions. The study shows from various commentators and scholars that failure of the system to deliver is largely attributable to the low-quality civic leadership that manages the local authorities. This leadership is characterized by low levels of educational qualifications, frequent political infighting and the mismanagement of local resources.