In the midst of the presidential campaign for the general elections on October 29, Tanzania experimented for the first time with the use of an artificial intelligence chatbot to inform voters about political programs.
The Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), the ruling party, launched an AI tool called “Kijani Ilani” (Green Manifesto in Swahili), a conversational robot allowing citizens to ask questions about health, education, or infrastructure and receive instant answers, without having to go through the lengthy official program.
This initiative illustrates the party’s desire to reach a new so-called connected electorate, while the opposition multiplies its actions on social networks to mobilize its supporters. For many experts, this represents a technological electoral campaign never before seen in Tanzania’s recent history.
While artificial intelligence facilitates access to information, it also raises questions about the control of political discourse and the influence on voters, these experts warn.
In Tanzania, President Samia Suluhu Hassan officially launched her election campaign on August 28, ahead of the presidential election scheduled for October 29. Having come to power without a direct election after serving as vice president to John Magufuli, who died four years ago, she is running to seek her own mandate, reports faapa.
