CfA identified a Twitter network supporting the Kenyatta and Odinga regime, and coordinated to amplify anti-Ruto hashtags. The move was seemingly targeted at discrediting
Kenya’s Deputy President William Samoei Ruto’s (hereinafter referred to as Ruto) ambitions to vie for the presidency in Kenya’s upcoming general elections to be held in the
year 2022.
The network, made up of 484 accounts, amplified hashtags by tweeting, retweeting, liking, replying, and mentioning each other’s posts. Their actions
suggest they engaged in inauthentic behaviour to make the hashtags seem more popular than they were, attempting to influence or manipulate the trending topics on Twitter.
This was subsequently replicated on Facebook with several accounts using the same hashtags to amplify the conversations in public groups and pages.
Further, CfA observed that individuals discussed in this investigation report leveraged on the trends to spread propaganda, disinformation and
misinformation, themed against Ruto.
