The Kenyan Context
I have watched leading newspapers struggle to get Raila’s name off the headlines. For over three decades, they had an assured catchy headline as long as his name appeared. From colonial administrators and post-independence political dynasties to today’s economic and digital influencers, power has historically concentrated among a few. Despite democratic elections and devolution, decision-making remains dominated by political, corporate, and intellectual elites who shape public discourse, policies, and even trends on social media.
Elite theory, developed by Vilfredo Pareto (1935), Gaetano Mosca (1939), and Robert Michels (1915), argues that every society, no matter how democratic, ends up ruled by a small group that controls key decisions. This group perpetuates its power through control of institutions, wealth, and access to information. In Kenya, this can be seen in the revolving door between political office, corporate boards, and major media ownership.
Communication as a Tool of Power
Control of communication has become an extension of elite power. Ownership of major television stations, radio networks, and digital platforms in Kenya is heavily concentrated among a few political and business families. Consequently, narratives around governance, corruption, and reform are often shaped through elite lenses.
At the same time, social media has become a space for both empowerment and manipulation. Platforms such as X and TikTok give ordinary citizens a voice. Yet, they are also tools for digital elites, bloggers, influencers, and political strategists to steer public sentiment through paid trends or disinformation campaigns. This reflects Michels’s “iron law of oligarchy,” which explains that even democratic organizations eventually concentrate control in the hands of a few (Michels, 1915).
The Role of Communication Professionals
Ordinary communication professionals, including journalists, public-relations officers, digital strategists, and brand storytellers, are not powerless observers. They operate at the intersection of elite and public discourse, giving them both influence and responsibility.
a. Ethical Gatekeeping
Kenyan communicators should actively question narratives pushed by elite actors. Whether working in corporate PR or journalism, there is a duty to balance coverage by including community perspectives, data-driven facts, and marginalized voices. Ethical storytelling must go beyond amplifying the loudest or wealthiest voices (Christians, Fackler, Richardson, Kreshel, & Woods, 2020).
b. Demystifying Power through Simplified Communication
Complex policy issues such as climate-adaptation funding, taxation, or digital rights often remain inaccessible to ordinary citizens. Communication professionals should translate these issues into relatable, localized language. Infographics, podcasts, community theatre, and vernacular radio can break the elite monopoly over technical narratives (Servaes, 2008).
c. Strengthening Media Literacy
A key strategy for countering elite domination is public empowerment. Communication professionals should lead campaigns that teach citizens to discern misinformation, understand media ownership, and verify sources. The more informed the masses become, the weaker the elite grip on opinion formation (Freire, 1970).
d. Building Alternative Communication Spaces
Community media, grassroots newsletters, and social-storytelling initiatives offer platforms for citizen voices. Through participatory communication where people generate and share their own stories. Communicators can help bridge the gap between rural and urban, poor and wealthy, powerful and voiceless (Melkote & Steeves, 2015).
e. Upholding Accountability
Elite theory warns of the dangers of unchecked leadership. Communication professionals must sustain accountability journalism, corporate transparency, and ethical branding. Even within organizations, communicators should advocate for openness, inclusion, and diversity in decision-making structures (McQuail, 2010).
4. The Path Forward
Kenya’s development agenda, anchored in Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), cannot thrive on elite-driven narratives alone. Progress requires communicators who deliberately center communities in national dialogue. This means using their platforms to:
- Translate policy into people’s stories
- Expose inequities in representation
- Encourage civic participation
- Celebrate resilience and innovation from below
By embracing this role, communication professionals evolve from message carriers to societal bridge-builders who link elite decision-making with grassroots realities.
Conclusion
Elite theory reminds us that power is inevitable but not unchangeable. In Kenya, where a few voices still dominate political and economic narratives, communication professionals stand at a moral and strategic crossroad. Through ethical practice, inclusive storytelling, and civic education, they can disrupt elite monopolies of influence and shape a more participatory communication culture—one where information flows not only from the top down but also from the bottom up.
References
Christians, C. G., Fackler, M., Richardson, K. B., Kreshel, P. J., & Woods, R. H. (2020). Media ethics: Cases and moral reasoning (11th ed.). Routledge.
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Continuum.
McQuail, D. (2010). McQuail’s mass communication theory (6th ed.). Sage.
Melkote, S. R., & Steeves, H. L. (2015). Communication for development: Theory and practice for empowerment and social justice (3rd ed.). Sage.
Michels, R. (1915). Political parties: A sociological study of the oligarchical tendencies of modern democracy. Free Press.
Mosca, G. (1939). The ruling class. McGraw-Hill.
Pareto, V. (1935). The mind and society: A treatise on general sociology. Harcourt, Brace & Company.
Servaes, J. (2008). Communication for development and social change. Sage.