Promoting ethnic equality in campaign messages: Survey experimental evidence from Nairobi, Kenya

In urban sub-Saharan Africa, leaders should appeal to voters of diverse ethnic backgrounds for electoral success. Yet, the political salience inequality demands their attention ethnicity issues in campaign messaging. This study examines impacts on voter preference appeals equality by using a conjoint experiment conducted Nairobi, Kenya. Appeals were varied randomly as follows: (1) no equality, (2) equal opportunities all groups (pan-ethnic appeal), and (3) minorities (pro-minority appeal). The found substantial increase support politicians making while pan-ethnic increased candidates more than pro-minority appeals. Pan-ethnic effective because they bolster from co-ethnic who are also candidate's party, not alienating non-co-ethnic or affiliated with other parties.