Traditional and digital media play a significant role in conflicts that accompany and follow transitions to democracy. The way they interact with political and civil society actors is determinant in framing particularly critical moments in the political history of a country, such as contested elections or controversial campaigns. The nexus of media, politics and civil society can determine the possibility to stymie the risk of violence or hold authorities or security forces to account. The aim of this workshop is to bring together political authorities, journalists, civil society activists and academics to discuss the nexus of media and politics against the backdrop of the 2013 political elections and the 2014 anti-terror operation Usalama Watch, while looking ahead to the 2017 elections. The three roundtables will encourage a dialogue and discussion about “what went right” and “what went wrong” during these critical events that tested the resilience of Kenyan democracy. Moreover, by highlighting critical issues, the discussion will likely offer insights and food for thought ahead of 2017 elections.
The full MeCoDem Workshop Programme is available.