ICTs, Statebuilding and Peacebuilding in Africa
Document Type
Report
Date of this Version
12-2014
Abstract
In 2007-8, Kenya experienced protracted and widespread post-election violence. Mobile phones—and text messages in particular– were used to spread rumors and to organize violence. Sisi ni Amani Kenya (SNA-K), a Kenyan non-governmental organization, utilized a combination of traditional and innovative communication and dialogue approaches to increase civic education and engagement and prevent violence in Kenyan communities before, during, and after Kenya’s 2013 General Elections. SNA-K developed SMS-based programming that reached over 65,000 Kenyans with civic education, civic engagement, and violence prevention text messages throughout the 2013 election cycle. This paper analyzes data from qualitative and quantitative surveys distributed to samples from SNA-K’s subscriber base. The paper draws insights and lessons learned that can inform future programming seeking to utilize mobile technology and ICT-based communications strategies for civic engagement and violence prevention.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Shah, Seema and Brown, Rachel. (2014). Programming for Peace: Sisi Ni Amani Kenya and the 2013 Election. ICTs, Statebuilding and Peacebuilding in Africa.
Retrieved from https://repository.upenn.edu/africaictresearch/3
Included in
Communication Technology and New Media Commons, Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, International and Intercultural Communication Commons
Date Posted: 06 February 2017