The 2022 Kenyan General Election is happening on Twitter

More on our approach in English and Swahili

On Tuesday 9th August, Kenyan voters will be heading to the polls for the 2022 General Elections, where they will vote to elect a new President, as well as voting to elect members of the National Assembly, and members of the Kenyan Senate. In addition to this, local county governors and candidates for the country's 47 county assemblies will also be on the ballot this year for voters’ consideration. 

Elections on Twitter  

During any election,Twitter serves as a centralised hub for real-time political conversation and commentary, electoral resources, journalistic reports live from the campaign trail as well as a tool for people to hear directly from political representatives themselves. 

Our work to make Twitter an engaging and healthy platform for political discourse is long standing; in 2019 we banned political ads as we believe political messaging should be earned, not bought; we’ve expanded our policies around election misinformation and continue to add context and notices to Tweets with manipulated media, to ensure people have the context they need. 

2022 Kenyan Elections 

Today, we wanted to share the steps we’ve taken and the trusted local partnerships we have, ahead of the 2022 Kenyan elections, ensuring the debate on Twitter is healthy, open and safe. Our work also ensures that Twitter continues to serve as the go-to place for people to see what’s happening, participate in the conversation, track campaign trails and consume verified information, so voters can make informed choices about what’s most important to them in this election. 

Partnerships

As we work to improve the health of the public conversation - particularly during civic events like elections - we are committed to reaching beyond Twitter to intergrate diverse perspectives that make our service better for everyone. As part of that, we have partnered with a number of organisations to further amplify credible information during the Kenyan election.

Elevate Credible Information: One such partner is Africa Check; established in 2012 as the continent’s first independent, nonpartisan fact-checking organisation that debunks dangerous statements, and empowers people to engage with information critically, while also building a culture of fact-checking across Africa. 

In the build-up to the Kenyan elections, Africa Check - which is part of the Fumbua collective, continues to combat false narratives, amplify accurate information and lead the activation of critical media literacy work across the region.

"We are pleased to collaborate with Twitter as part of our election work in Kenya. The collaboration will allow us to address dis- and misinformation by fact-checking claims and identifying potential misinformation. We will also highlight accurate, verified information ahead of the election on the platform so that voters can make informed decisions. Media literacy programmes are a proactive strategy to fight misinformation and allow us to use our fact-checking work to inoculate people against false information proactively and empower them to critically understand, analyse, and evaluate information instead of simply consuming and sharing it. We believe this enables them to make evidence-based decisions vital ahead of elections. Notably, the partnership with Twitter will deepen the impact of our media literacy project as it will allow us to reach a broader audience." - Africa Check

This work is key to the protection of the election conversation and we look forward to continued partnerships and collaboration with Africa Check and all our other partner organisations, up to and after the Kenyan elections. 

Verification

Ahead of the elections, Twitter worked with Kenyan partner organisations on verifying accounts of Government Agencies, Candidates, Political Parties, Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs), News Organisations and content creators. The blue Verified badge on Twitter lets people know that an account of public interest is authentic and notable - giving people on Twitter more context about who they’re having conversations with so they can determine the way in which they engage with a certain account.

Amplifying Credible Information 

Our teams are working to ensure that voters in Kenya are directed to credible information while they spend time on our platform. In line with our efforts to amplify credible information, we have been able to launch the following features:

• Custom Kenyan election Emoji: Today we launched a custom Kenyan elections emoji that will be activated by the hashtags #KenyaDecides, #KenyaDecides2022, #electionske #electionske2022. The special emoji, which pictures a ballot box with the Kenyan flag draped around it, aims to promote the discoverability of the election conversation and encourage active citizenship and a peaceful election process.

• Kenyan Election Prompt: We have launched an election prompt in collaboration with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in both English and Swahili. The search prompt is a notification service that directs people in Kenya to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC’s) website where Kenyans will be able to access credible information about the elections when searching for keywords on Twitter, associated with the Kenyan General Election.

• Twitter Moments: Our Twitter Curation team is supporting the 2022 Kenyan Elections with the creation of election Moments which are curated stories designed to address misleading and false information around the presidential elections. These Twitter Moments, will include key dates, and general guidelines for participating in the electoral process from credible sources, including Kenya’s electoral regulator IEBC, media outlets, and fact-checking organizations.

Policy enforcement 

In addition to enforcing our Policies on Hateful Conduct and Abusive Behaviour, we have implemented a clear Civic Integrity Policy so that people  cannot use Twitter’s services for the purpose of manipulating or interfering in elections or other civic processes. 

The Policy targets the most directly harmful types of content, such as (but not limited to) misleading information about how to participate in an election or misleading information that intends to intimidate or dissuade people from participating in an election.

Labeling: As such, in line with this policy, we will label Tweets that contain false or misleading information that undermines confidence in the election or false or misleading information related to the outcomes of the election. Tweets that are labeled under this policy will therefore have reduced visibility (not amplified) across the service and will lead to Twitter Moments with informative context on the topic - based on official, reliable sources and fact-checkers.

Local engagement 

Our Sub-Saharan Africa policy team has also offered safety and security training to partner organisations, bringing them through tools such as mute, block and report, as well as various security tips and techniques such as two-factor authentication. 

The established cross-functional 2022 Kenyan elections team at Twitter, will work to protect the integrity of the election-related conversation, support partner groups and political representatives as well as identifying and curbing any threat to the integrity of the 2022 Kenyan election conversation on Twitter. 

We are committed to providing a service that fosters and facilitates political debate and we will continue to build on one of our core priorities, which is to protect political and civic conversation on Twitter through our policies, products and the integral partnerships we have around the world. 

Sources for relevant election related information

• The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and any election officials as determined by the IEBC and the Constitution of Kenya.
• The National Cohesion and Integration Commission
• The Kenyan Judiciary

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Uchaguzi Mkuu wa Kenya, 2022 unafanyika kwenye Twitter

Siku ya Jumanne ya tarehe 9 Agosti, wapiga kura wa Kenya watakuwa wakielekea kwenye vituo vya kupiga kura kwa ajii ya Uchaguzi Mkuu wa mwaka 2022, ambapo watapiga kura kuchagua Raisi mpya, Wabunge, na wawakilishi wa Bunge la Seneta la Kenya. Wakati huo huo, mwaka huu wapiga kura watapiga kura kuchagua wawakilishi wa serikali za ugatuzi na magavana wa kaunti zote 47. 

Uchaguzi kwenye Twitter  

Katika chaguzi zote, Twitter hutumika kama kituo cha majadiliano na maoni ya wakati halisi, chanzo cha habari za uchaguzi, sehemu ya waandishi wa habari kutoa taarifa za moja kwa moja kutoka kwenye mikutano ya kampeni na pia chombo ambacho kinawawezesha watu kuwasikia wawakilishi wao wa kisiasa moja kwa moja. 

Juhudi zetu za kuifanya Twitter kuwa jukwaa la majadiliano ya kisiasa ambalo ni shirikishi na lenye tija zimekuwa zikiendelea kwa muda mrefu sasa; mwaka 2019 tulizuia matangazo ya kisiasa kwa sababu tunaamini kwamba umaarufu wa kisiasa huja wenyewe, pasipo kununuliwa; tumeimarisha sera zetu kuhusu upotoshaji wa uchaguzi na tunaendelea kuongeza maudhui na taarifa kwenye machapisho yenye maudhui yanayopotosha, ili kuhakikisha kwamba watu wanapata muktadha wanaohitaji.. 

Uchaguzi wa Kenya 2022 

Leo, tungependa kuwaeleza juu ya hatua tulizochukua na washirika wa ndani tulionao tunapoelekea kwenye uchaguzi wa Kenya 2022, ili kuhakikisha kuwa mijadala inayoendelea kwenye Twitter ni bora, ya wazi na salama. Kazi yetu pia inahakikisha kuwa Twitter inaendelea kuwa sehemu ambayo watu wanatembelea kuona mambo yanayoendelea, kushiriki mazungumzo, kufuatilia kampeni na kupata taarifa za kuaminika ili wapiga kura waweze kuchagua yale ambayo ni muhimu kwao wakiwa na taarifa sahihi kwenye uchaguzi huu.

Ushirikiano

Tunapoendelea kufanya kazi kuimarisha ubora wa mazungumzo ya umma (hasa zaidi ya wakati wa matukio ya kiraia kama uchaguzi) tumedhamiria kufika maeneo mengine nje ya Twitter ili kuunganisha vyanzo mbalimbali ambavyo vitafanya huduma yetu kuwa bora kwa watu wote. Kama mojawapo ya hatua katika kutimiza hilo, tunashirikiana na asasi mbalimbali ili kuongeza uwezo wa kupata taarifa za kuaminika wakati wa uchaguzi wa Kenya. 

Kukuza Taarifa za Kuaminika: Mmojawapo wa washirika wetu wa namna hiyo ni Africa Check; asasi iliyoanzishwa mwaka 2012 ikiwa ni asasi ya kwanza inayojitegemea, asasi inayozingatia ukweli pasipo kuegemea upande wowote ikipunguza ukali wa kauli hatarishi, na kuwawezesha watu kujihusisha na habari kwa umakinifu, na kujenga utamaduni wa kuangalia ukweli kote barani Afrika. 

Kuelekea kwenye Uchaguzi wa Kenya, Africa Check - ambayo ni sehemu ya Fumbua, inaendelea kupambana na simulizi za uongo, kukuza taarifa ambazo ni sahihi na kuwa mstari wa mbele katika ketekeleza kazi muhimu ya kutoa elimu inayofanywa na vyombo vya habari katika ukanda wote.

“Tunafurahi kushirikiana na Twitter kama sehemu ya kazi yetu katika uchaguzi nchini Kenya. Ushirikiano huu utatuwezesha kutatua changamoto ya taarifa potofu kwa kuhakiki ukweli wa madai na kutambua uwezekano wa uwepo wa taarifa potofu. Pia, tukielekea kwenye uchaguzi, kwenye jukwaa hili tutaonyesha taarifa ambazo ni sahihi, zilizothibitishwa ili wapiga kura waweze kufanya maamuzi wakiwa na uelewa. Programu za mafunzo ya vyombo vya habari ni mkakati makini unaolenga kupambana na taarifa potofu na kutuwezesha kutumia kazi yetu ya kuhakiki ukweli ili kuwalinda watu dhidi ya taarifa potofu na kuwapatia uwezo wa kuelewa, kuchambua, na kutathmini taarifa kwa umakini badala ya kupokea na kusambaza kila taarifa. Tunaamini kwamba hili linawafanya wafanye maamuzi yanayozingatia ushahidi tunapoelekea kwenye uchaguzi. Kwa hakika, ushirikiano na Twitter utaongeza matokeo ya mradi wetu wa mafunzo ya vyombo vya habari kwani unatuwezesha kufikia hadhira kubwa zaidi.” -  Afrika Check

Kazi hii ni msingi wa kulinda mazungumzo yanayohusu uchaguzi na tunatarajia kuendelea kushirikiana na kufanya kazi pamoja na Africa Check na asasi zingine tunazoshirikiana nazo, mpaka kuisha kwa uchaguzi na hata baada ya uchaguzi. 

Uthibitishaji

Katika kipindi cha kuelekea Uchaguzi wa Kenya 2022, Twitter imefanya kazi kwa kushirikiana na asasi za Kenya katika kuthibitisha akaunti za Mashirika ya Serikali, Wagombea, Vyama vya Siasa, Asasi za Kiraia (NGOs), Mashirika ya Habari, asasi na watengeneza maudhui. Beji ya Bluu ya Imethibititishwa kwenye Twitter inawafanya watu watambue kuwa akaunti yenye maslahi kwa umma ni ya kweli na hakika - hivyo kuwapa watu waliopo kwenye mtandao wa Twitter muktadha zaidi kuhusu ni akina nani wanazungumza nao ili waweze kubainisha jinsi wanavyojihusisha na akaunti fulani. 

Kukuza Taarifa za Kuaminika

Timu zetu zinafanya kazi kuhakikisha kwamba wapiga kura wa Kenya wanaelekezwa kwenye taarifa sahihi wanapotumia muda wao kwenye jukwaa letu. Ili kuendana na juhudi zetu za kukuza taarifa sahihi, tumeweza kuzindua vipengele vifuatavyo:

• Emoji ya Kipekee ya Uchaguzi wa Kenya: Tulizindua emoji ya chaguzi za Kenya ambayo inaweza kuwashwa kwa hashtag #KenyaInaamua, #KenyaInaamua2022, #uchaguzike, #uchaguzike2022. Emoji hii maalumu, ambayo inajumuisha sanduku la kupigia kura likiwa limezungushiwa bendera ya Kenya,  inalenga kukuza uwezo wa kugundua mazungumzo yanayohusiana na uchaguzi na kuhimiza uzalendo na mchakato wa uchaguzi wa amani. 

• Kichochezi cha Uchaguzi wa Kenya: Tumezindua kichochezi cha uchaguzi kwa kushirikiana na Tume Huru ya Uchaguzi na Mipaka (IEBC) kikiwa katika lugha zote mbili, Kiswahili na Kiingereza. Kichochezi cha utafutaji ni huduma ya arifa ambayo inawaongoza watu walioko Kenya kwenye tovuti ya Tume Huru ya Uchaguzi na Mipaka (IEBC) ambapo Wakenya wataweza kupata taarifa sahihi kuhusu uchaguzi pale watakapotafuta maneno msingi kwenye Twitter, ambayo yanahusiana na Uchaguzi Mkuu wa Kenya.

• Matukio kwenye Twitter: Timu yetu ya Wasimamizi wa Twitter inauwezesha Uchaguzi wa Kenya 2022 kwa kuunda Matukio (Moments) ya uchaguzi ambayo ni visa vilivyochaguliwa na kupangiliwa ili kutatua changamoto ya taarifa potofu na za uongo kuhusu uchaguzi wa uraisi. Matukio haya ya Twitter, yatajumuisha tarehe muhimu, na miongozo ya jumla ya jinsi ya kushiriki kwenye mchakato wa uchaguzi kutoka kwenye vyanzo vya kuaminika, ikiwemo Tume Huru ya Uchaguzi wa Kenya IEBC, vyombo vya habari na asasi za kuhakiki ukweli.

Utekelezaji wa sera 

Mbali na kutekeleza Sera zetu kuhusu Mienendo ya Chuki na Tabia za Matusi, tumetekeleza Sera ya Uadilifu wa Raia iliyo wazi ili watu wasiweze kutumia huduma za Twitter kwa madhumuni ya kudanganya au kuingilia uchaguzi au michakato mingine ya kiraia. 

Sera hasa inalenga moja kwa moja aina ya maudhui ambayo ni hatarishi, kama vile (haikomei kwenye) taarifa inayopotosha kuhusu jinsi ya kushiriki kwenye uchaguzi au taarifa inayopotosha ikilenga kutisha au kukatisha tamaa watu wasishiriki kwenye uchaguzi.

Kuweka lebo: Ili kuendana na sera hii, tutaweka lebo kwenye Tweets ambazo zinahusisha taarifa za uongo au zinazopotosha ambazo zinapunguza imani ya watu juu ya uchaguzi au taarifa za uongo au zinazopotosha zinazoweza kuathiri matokeo ya uchaguzi. Tweet ambazo zimewekwa chini ya sera hii zitapunguzwa uwezo wa kuonwa na watu (kutokuzwa) kwenye jukwaa letu na zitaleta Matukio kwenye Twitter yenye maudhui yenye taarifa muhimu kuhusu mada hiyo - kwa kuzingatia vyanzo rasmi, vinavyoaminika na wahikiki taarifa. 

Ushiriki wa ndani 

Timu yetu ya sera ya Kusini mwa Jangwa la Sahara pia imetoa mafunzo ya usalama na ulinzi kwa asasi tunazoshirikiana nazo, kupitia vitendea kazi kama nyamazisha, funga na toa ripoti, na pia vidokezo tofauti vya usalama na mbinu kama vile uthibitisho wa njia mbili. 

Timu ya Kenya ya uchaguzi mkuu wa 2022 iliyoanzishwa katika mtandao wa Twitter, itafanya kazi kulinda uadilifu wa mazungumzo yanayohusiana na uchaguzi, kuunga mkono vikundi vya washirika na wawakilishi wa kisiasa pamoja na kutambua na kuzuia tishio lolote la uadilifu wa mazungumzo ya uchaguzi wa Kenya 2022 kwenye Twitter. 

Tumejitolea kutoa huduma ambayo inakuza na kuwezesha mijadala ya kisiasa na tutaendelea kuimarisha mojawapo ya kipaumbele chetu cha msingi, ambacho ni kulinda mazungumzo ya kisiasa na ya kiraia kwenye Twitter kupitia sera zetu, bidhaa zetu na ushirika muhimu tulionao duniani kote.

Vyanzo vya taarifa muhimu zinazohusiana na uchaguzi

• Tume Huru ya Uchaguzi na Mipaka na afisa yeyote wa uchaguzi kama ilivyoamuliwa na IEBC na Katiba ya Kenya.
• Tume ya Uwiano na Utangamano wa Kitaifa
• Mahakama ya Kenya