Kenya has long been at the forefront of Africa’s digital transformation, boasting one of the continent’s most energetic social media markets. When the country went to the polls in August 2022, it was clear that much of the political contest would unfold online.

This study, commissioned by the Institute for Security Studies, cast new light on a growing global trend: a burgeoning influence-for-hire market in Kenya. In this environment, digital marketers sell influence as a service to political clients—often undermining democracy in the process. Whether by design or default, these campaigns erode public trust and weaken key democratic institutions, including independent, professional news media.

Influence operations during Kenya’s 2022 presidential elections were largely indigenous, although they mirrored techniques used in other parts of the world. They tapped into existing fears, social cleavages and conspiracy theories based on mistrust of the state, and amplified them online.

Using data analytics, open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques, and field-based journalism, the research team mapped out Kenya’s digital influence ecosystem—identifying key actors, their tactics, the narratives they pushed, and the motivations driving them. The findings offer a blueprint for understanding online influence operations in electoral contexts across the African continent.

Originally published on ISS Africa.