[This online campaigns has been going on in the commercial world, but it is the first time it is being used in Kenyan politics.] (Longroadmedia)
Online campaigns has in the last few days been taken a notch higher, after supporters of Jubilee put up paid websites online, so that easy search for a particular keyword in the Kenyan election contest is a paid up ad with a certain message.
Both main parties have been engaging in online wars on social media, and the battle may have just began.
For about a week now, a casual search on Google has been leading to interesting results.
Type in common names in the goggle search and the first page that pops up is a paid advert.
Typing the name Raila Odinga for example, you get an ad leading to a site with negative information about Odinga and telling you why you should not vote for him.
Typing in Uhuru Kenyatta, the first page on the screen is an ad on why Uhuru Kenyatta deserves a second term, it leads you to a website that says he has fulfilled all the promises he made to Kenyans.
A search for maize and the first page is a paid up advertisement leading you to the website on how the goverment has subsidized maize prices.
Search for unga and you get similar results. Other searches for words like corruption leads you to anti-Odinga paid websites.
According to IT experts, those responsible might have paid up for the specific key words and attached them to the adverts, so that whenever anyone searches for the words, it’s the websites that come up.
What is more, the opposition could also do the same using the same words.
The strategy is perfectly legal and has been going on in the commercial world for a long time.
In politics though, and in the country, this is the first time it is being used.
How successful such a campaign be will depend on many things, putting in mind that many Kenyans vote on party and tribal lines.