Role of social media in citizen participation in transparent governance

Abstract

In growing democracies like Kenya, the public has become more aware of their roles in the society. With that, there is need for the public to find a channel to communicate issues that as a society they need addressed. In the last decade, social media played important role in information gathering and dissemination. Numerous organizations and government institutions have established their own social media platforms in order to provide communication channels for citizens. Advances in technology, especially social media channels provide alternative ways to monitor and report fraudulent practices. This has been assisted by the expansion of a well informed middle-class and tech savvy society. However, there is little knowledge on the effects social media has on emerging democracies like Kenya in regards to governance. This study possibly bridges the knowledge gap. The research examined the influence social media has on citizen participation especially on issues related to governance. The research involved an understudy of the social media usage among the youth. Particular emphasis was on two social media platforms: Facebook and Twitter. The manner in which interactions occurred was given more prominence. Qualitative and quantitative study designs were employed in the research. Data was obtained from both primary and secondary sources. Data was also analyzed scientifically. Emergent views regarding the role of social media were validated through comparison of views of respondents and data collected from the various organizations. Results from the study are significant to organizations interested in formulating proper communication strategies especially through social media.