AI misinformation threatens election reporting as Kenyan journalists face growing credibility challenge

Journalists have been cautioned against falling victim to misinformation and disinformation as Kenya heads towards the 2027 General Election, with artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly being used to create and circulate manipulated content.

Media Council of Kenya (MCK) Chairman Maina Muiruri said the media has a critical role in protecting public trust by ensuring election-related information is accurate, timely and credible despite the rapid spread of manipulated images, deepfakes and misleading narratives.

Speaking in Ruiru, Kiambu County today, where he officially opened a training session for digital media practitioners, Muiruri urged journalists to embrace technology as a tool for verification and fact-checking rather than allowing it to compromise professional standards.

The workshop, organised by the Digital Journalists of Kenya (DJK), was held under the theme, “Using AI to Enhance Content Authenticity and Build Information Credibility in a General Election Season.”

“Elections are moments when citizens need accurate, timely and trustworthy information to make informed decisions.

People are increasingly not trusting the media, yet this comes at the height of misinformation, disinformation, manipulated images, deep fakes and misleading narratives that are spread so quickly and often threaten to obliterate the truth,” Muiruri said.

He disclosed that an MCK report indicates that about 60 per cent of journalists expected to cover the forthcoming election will be doing so for the first time, highlighting the need for increased training and sensitisation of media practitioners.

Muiruri said the digital era presented significant opportunities for journalism but also imposed greater responsibility on journalists, particularly as AI tools become more accessible.

“AI, which is at the top of this training, presents both a challenge and an opportunity. If used responsibly, AI can help journalists verify information, identify manipulated content, analyse data and improve fact-checking,” he said.

He, however, warned journalists against treating AI as a replacement for professional judgement, ethical standards and accountability, insisting that responsibility for published content ultimately rests with the journalist.

“You are senior to AI, which copies minds. It can only do what humans have put into it. You have an opportunity not only to learn what AI can do, but also to ask an equally important question: how do we use it without compromising the principles of journalism?” he said.

Muiruri said media credibility could not be achieved through technology alone, but depended on integrity, accuracy, fairness and transparency.

DJK Chairman Andy Kagwa urged journalists to play a proactive role in countering hate speech and toxic political rhetoric likely to intensify as the election approaches.

“As journalists, we have to preserve public trust in the media. It is also our duty to counter hate speech and toxic political discourse as the elections approach,” Kagwa said.

He noted that newsrooms and industry organisations, including MCK, the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) and the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), were pursuing initiatives to strengthen election monitoring and systems for tracking misinformation.

DJK Secretary Christine Muchira said the association was focused on training, equipping and building the capacity of journalists working in the digital space.

She said the programme also seeks to sensitise digital journalists on professional standards and compliance with the new Code of Conduct for Media Practice as they prepare to cover the 2027 election.

The training comes as Kenya’s media industry prepares for an election environment in which AI-generated content, deepfakes and rapidly circulating online claims are expected to pose new challenges to verification and responsible reporting.