Online harassment risks pushing Kenyan women out of politics

“I faced so much violence on Facebook”, she said. “I am separated from my husband, so people could say unimaginable things using [pseudonymous] accounts, to me and my family. It was just chaotic.”

A 2022 analysis on violence against women in elections conducted by African Woman and Child Feature Services, a partner organization of UN Women, showed that women political leaders were among the most harassed online, with some deciding to end their political careers altogether and others choosing to keep off internet platforms to shield themselves from harassment and attacks.

UN Women’s recent report “Pambana!” (or “Keep at it” in Swahili) found that name-calling, “blackmail using negative images of women”, and other messages were spread online and aimed to instill fear, reduce women’s meaningful participation, and undermine their credibility to participate in elections.

Tullie lost her nomination and was later appointed as the officer in charge of gender affairs at Kisumu’s office of the women representative. She said that her experience in electoral politics made her more interested in positioning herself strategically, “so that when appointments are made, I would be among those selected, rather than solely pursuing elected political positions”.

“If I can positively impact the lives of even just one or two individuals, then I am content”, she said.

Although women make up more than half of Kenya’s population, they currently hold only 24.8 per cent of elected seats in the National Assembly and Senate.

In response to the challenges faced by women politicians in Kenya’s 2022 elections, UN Women is developing social media training sessions to help candidates both find messages that resonate with voters and minimize online harassment.

“By equipping women with the necessary skills, they can amplify their voices, connect with their constituents, and counter gender-based violence and inequality”, said Mildred Nzau, the Deepening Democracy Specialist at UN Women’s country office in Kenya.