Fostering Democratic Participation: The Impact of Ushahidi in Electoral Monitoring

Following the 2007 Kenyan post-election violence, Ushahidi emerged as a vital tool, enabling citizens to report incidents via SMS and the web. Since then, it has played a crucial role in Kenyan elections, processing thousands of messages and ensuring transparency. Beyond Kenya, Ushahidi has been deployed globally, aiding in electoral monitoring in various countries including Zambia, Guinea, and Somalia. By empowering citizens to report incidents and concerns, Ushahidi fosters transparency and enhances democratic participation.

During the violence that erupted in Kenya after the 2007 elections, millions of Kenyans faced uncertainty and safety concerns. A local blogger's call for a tech solution to map violence locations sparked a rapid response from four technologists who developed Ushahidi—a web-based platform to crowdsource first-hand reports via SMS and the web. These reports were geolocated and timestamped, providing critical information to people on the ground and global observers. Over 40,000reports were submitted, verified, and triaged, giving birth to Ushahidi as a crisis-response platform.

Post-2007, Ushahidi has committed to deploying its platform in subsequent Kenyan elections, known as “Uchaguzi” (Swahili for elections). In the 2013 elections, Uchaguzi processed over 9,000 messages, verifying and publishing around 2,700 reports. Of the 5000 reports processed by the digital response teams, approximately 4000 were published, and 2,700 were verified. During the 2017 elections, Uchaguzicollected over 12,000 reports in August and 6,500 during the repeat elections in October of the same year.

The impact of Ushahidi was even more pronounced in the2022 General elections, with over 94,000 reports collected. During this period, people used the Ushahidi platform to report crucial issues related to the electoral process. The surveys covered topics such as polling station administration, security concerns, public opinions, voting issues, and the counting of results. Citizens participated in these surveys via SMS, USSD, WhatsApp, and social listening on Twitter.

 

Screenshot of the Uchaguzi deployment

 

When we gather insights from diverse groups of people, it helps us grasp their experiences more fully. This information is valuable for making decisions that benefit and empower everyone involved. Crowdsourcing, as described by Goodchild (2007), harnesses the power of "citizens as sensors" to provide valuable information about different environments. This approach contrasts with traditional field studies, which are often costly and labor-intensive.

Over the past 17 years, the Ushahidi platform has been a leading technology tool for crowdsourcing citizen-focused electoral observation data. In the last two years alone, 142 Ushahidi deployments have been used to report electoral issues in 27 countries. In addition to the deployments during Kenyan elections, here are some recent examples of how Ushahidi has been applied in elections contexts.

 

The 2021 Zambian Elections

During the Zambian elections in 2021, Ushahidi played a critical role in reporting various election incidents, including disinformation and misinformation. The platform enabled citizens to report anonymously, empowering Zambians to monitor the electoral process closely. For instance, citizens used Ushahidi to report incidents like attacks on candidates by unidentified individuals and this was accompanied by photographic evidence. Link to deploymenthttps://ecz2021.ushahidi.io/map

 

Screenshot of the Zambian elections deployment

 

Zambian election deployment: Data view

 

The 2020 Guinean Elections

In the Guinean 2020 elections, a civic society utilized the Ushahidi platform for reporting issues before, during and after the general elections. They used X (formerly Twitter), SMS, to report on issues both before, during, and after the general elections. They gathered data from various sources including X (formerly Twitter), SMS, the web, and email, with SMS being the primary method of reporting. The deployment received a total of 7,446 reports and published 427 reports to highlight critical concerns and events during the electoral period. Deployment link https://guineevote.ushahidi.io/map

Guinea elections deployment

 

Guinea elections deployment: Data View

 

The 2022 Somali Elections

The 2022 Somali elections showcased the effective use of technology for citizen reporting on electoral matters. The deployment received nearly 1400 reports from various regions across the country. Some reports included critical incidents like a deadly roadside bomb, which helped alert citizens to dangerous locations before, during, and after the elections. Deployment link https://somaliaelections.ushahidi.io/map

Somalia elections deployment

 

Somalia elections deployment: Data view

 

The Somalia elections deployment also sought to highlight issues around vulnerable groups’ participation. Oftentimes, these groups of people are left out of such democratic processes not only in Somalia but also in other countries. For instance, during the 2022 General Elections in Kenya, a representative of persons with disabilities from Kwale County emphasized their right to participate in elections and urged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure election materials are accessible to them. In Somalia, women, youth, and people with disabilities often face challenges in accessing equal opportunities within the democratic process. Sample reports highlighting these issues among vulnerable groups can be viewed in the accompanying image.

In democratic countries, elections are essential as they empower ordinary citizens to voice their preferences and shape their future by electing representatives who champion their interests.

The Ushahidi platform offers nations the chance to integrate technology, fostering transparency, and rebuilding trust in electoral systems. By providing citizens with platforms to monitor discussions and express their viewpoints, Ushahidi encourages active participation beyond the ballot box. This engagement cultivates a sense of ownership in the electoral process and enhances the credibility of governing institutions.