Prioritising Response-able IP Practices in Digitization of Electoral Processes in Africa

Abstract

Globally, people widely regard technology as a solution to global social problems. In a democratic society, its citizens view technology as a way to ensure commitment and sustaining the nation's democracy by allowing them to participate actively in the democratic process. However, despite the hype surrounding technology and development, many developing countries still experience democratic challenges. The democratic challenges have further led to barriers that shape the political landscape, resulting in delusion, disappointment, and failures in the democratic and public good processes, such as the electoral process. This paper explores the relationship between intellectual property (IP) practices and the adoption of digital technologies used in democratic electoral processes. Specifically, it examines how the prioritisation of IP by technology service providers can disrupt socio-material relationships in democratic electoral processes and outcomes. Because of the hard boundaries associated with IP it creates an environment where the systems are controlled solely by technology IP owners, while the consequences of electoral processes are borne by citizens. This questions the response-ability and trust-ability of digital technologies in running democratic processes. Drawing from the parallels in Kenya's general elections of 2017 and 2022, this paper illustrates how IP practices form a hard boundary that impels technology owners to micromanage electoral processes, leading to tensions that potentially create conflict. This finding can be used by decision-makers to adopt digital technologies and protect IP without compromising electoral processes and disrupting relationships in the wider society.