Right-Wing Misinformation Is Invading Kenya, Here’s Why We Need to Stop It

Right-wing disinformation tactics have crossed borders into Kenya, fuelling a dangerous intersection of digital misogyny and real-world violence that is driving record numbers of femicide.

What do the global rise of right-wing populism, a political movement that blends nationalist and socially conservative rhetoric to mobilize mass support, and the growing influence of manosphere figures in Kenya—a loose online network promoting male supremacy, anti-feminism and opposition to gender justice—have in common? As it turns out, quite a lot. At their core, both movements are driven by a reactionary response to changing social dynamics. They are both fuelled by a shared belief that ‘traditional gender roles’ are under threat and a desire to restore patriarchal structures. They frame their opposition to gender progressivism as grievances against the perceived domination of women and feminism. This intersection reveals a dangerous ideological shift that is reshaping political and cultural landscapes globally.  

Contrary to the often-presented views that digital spaces are ‘democratic’ or ‘inherently progressive’ by virtue of the connections and innovations they enable across space and time, digital spaces are shaped by, and sometimes even worsen, the inequalities we face ‘offline’. Feminist research shows technology-facilitated abuse has become both prevalent and pernicious. In Kenya, structurally silenced communities such as queer individuals, women and sex workers face disproportionate harm through tech-facilitated misinformation and disinformation.  

A growing body of research shows how social media algorithms often prioritize engagement and revenue over user safety, amplifying and incentivizing harmful misogynistic, anti-gender, trans- and homophobic messaging online. This trend is directly linked to the worrying rise of right-wing populism—a political movement that exploits economic and cultural anxieties by positioning itself as the voice of the ‘ordinary people’, while pushing nationalist and socially conservative agendas—and fascist politics in the West. These ideologies—with fascism being an authoritarian approach that promotes extreme nationalism, suppresses opposition, and seeks to control society through force, propaganda and political violence—have found a receptive audience in the global South. The enduring legacy of colonization and western dominance in African politics means that the rise of right-wing populist movements in the United States and Europe has a significant impact on the continent’s affairs. 

In his 2024 re-election campaign as president of the United States, Donald Trump pushed anti-gender messaging that resonates with conservative figures in Africa who advocate for patriarchal values and view feminism, gender progressivism and queer rights as a threat to ‘African family values’, contributing to the spread of misinformation on women’s reproductive agency and queer rights.  

Notoriously, misogynistic figures like Andrew Tate have gained significant global traction online through their problematic views on masculinity, spreading gendered disinformation and constantly targeting structurally silenced populations such as women and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer persons (LGBTQ+). These manosphere individuals, once relegated to the fringes of the internet, have now become mainstream. They have substantial influence on public discourse around gender, sexuality and societal dynamics.  

Right-wing manosphere ‘influencer’ and author of masculinity self-help book Unplugged Alpha, Richard Cooper, has contributed significantly to the worldwide spread of such rhetoric. Cooper’s work, much like that of other manosphere personalities, often portrays women as being deceitful and manipulative, framing contemporary gender dynamics as some sort of competition in which men are unfairly treated. Cooper’s book, widely sold by vendors across Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, advocates for a masculinity in which men must assert supremacy over women and (western) society to reclaim their rightful power. One of the controversial quotes in his book states, ‘Fraud, by definition, requires deceit, something women are highly evolved at.’  

This statement encapsulates a fundamental tenet of Cooper’s ideology, which argues that women are inherently manipulative, deceptive and primarily motivated by self-interest. Cooper’s claim that women are inherently deceitful is dangerous disinformation as it reduces complex human behaviour to a simplistic, negative stereotype. As research shows, harmful manosphere content has found receptive audiences in the global South. Manosphere messaging has been enabled by social media platforms which incentivize the dissemination of harmful content by prioritizing engagement and revenue over all other considerations...