Media in the 2022 Kenyan Elections

Kenya is facing national elections this year. Raila Odinga, the former prime minister, is reportedly the favorite to win the elections. He is enjoying a massive amount of airtime on mainstream media. William Ruto, the deputy president, is Odinga’s top challenger. Ruto is a canny political operator who has mastered the use of social media.

However, there is a new entrant in the political race who is upsetting old calculations. George Wajackoya is running an unconventional presidential campaign that includes comical theatrics, dancing to reggae music, Rastafari attire and colorful headgear. Wajackoya has taught law and economics, human rights, and comparative constitutional and international law at US, UK and Kenyan universities. He is also promising to clear Kenya’s loans through sale of marijuana.

Swaleh Idris is a Kenyan journalist, author, and media entrepreneur who covers humanitarian crises, conflict, and disasters. Prior to founding Najm Media; a multimedia communications agency based in Nairobi, he worked at Kenya’s oldest media organization; Standard Media Group as a creative. He has also written a book inspired by the South Sudan conflict and short stories on humanitarian issues.