Opportunities

DPGSK Annual Conference and Research Day 2026 Call for Papers Data Governance, Elections and Information Integrity.

Background

Kenya’s progressive adoption of technologies such as Biometric Voter Registration (BVR), the Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS), electronic voter identification and electronic results transmission has transformed electoral administration, making digital infrastructure and personal data central to electoral integrity. Technology now extends across the electoral cycle, from voter registration and identification to results transmission, verification and public communication.

Supreme Court litigation arising from the 2017 and 2022 presidential elections has highlighted significant technology-related concerns. These include the reliability and failure of KIEMS kits, integrity and accuracy of the voter register, system configuration, access controls, electronic logs and audit trails, cybersecurity, electronic results transmission, the authentication and integrity of Forms 34A, and the consistency between electronic and physical electoral records. The cases also demonstrate the importance of system testing, independent audits, effective contingency mechanisms and credible technical evidence when allegations of technological interference arise. Electoral integrity therefore increasingly depends upon the security, resilience, transparency, reliability and auditability of digital systems alongside the protection of the ballot itself.

The risks extend beyond electoral infrastructure. The Cambridge Analytica scandal illustrates how personal data, profiling and micro-targeted political communication can be used to manipulate the information environment and influence voter behaviour. Artificial intelligence, deepfakes, disinformation, cyberattacks and sophisticated political profiling present further challenges. As Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Election, robust data governance, cybersecurity, independent testing and auditing, vendor accountability, personal data protection, system resilience, information integrity and institutional preparedness are essential to ensuring a transparent, verifiable, trustworthy and credible electoral process.

Thematic Tracks

The Data Privacy and Governance Society of Kenya (DPGSK), in partnership with the Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT) and Amnesty International Kenya, invites abstracts for the DPGSK Annual Conference and Research Day to be held at Strathmore University on 14–15 October 2026.

As Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Election, the increasing reliance on digital technologies, personal data and online information systems presents both opportunities and significant risks for electoral integrity. The Conference provides a platform for scholars, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, technologists and civil society actors to present original and work-in-progress research examining the intersection of data governance, technology, elections and information integrity.

Abstracts are particularly encouraged under the following thematic tracks:

1. Artificial Intelligence, Elections and Information Integrity

• Generative AI and electoral processes

• AI-generated content, deepfakes and synthetic media

• Misinformation, disinformation and influence operations

• Algorithmic amplification and recommender systems

• AI-enabled political campaigning and voter targeting

• Platform governance and content moderation

• Detection, authentication and provenance of digital content

2. Data Privacy, Political Data and Digital Campaigning

• Voter and electoral data protection

• Political profiling and micro-targeting

• Political parties as data controllers and processors

• Lawful processing of personal data in political campaigns

• Biometric data and voter identification

• Data brokers, campaign consultants and third-party access

• Cross-border processing and transfer of electoral data

• Lessons from Cambridge Analytica and subsequent political-data practices

3. Electoral Technology, Cybersecurity and Digital Infrastructure

• KIEMS, biometric voter registration and electronic voter identification

• Electronic results transmission and verification

• Cybersecurity of electoral systems and infrastructure

• System access controls, authentication and privileged access

• Electronic logs, audit trails and digital evidence

• Testing, certification and independent auditing of election technology

• Technology failures, system resilience and contingency mechanisms

• Telecommunications and network reliability

• Third-party technology providers, procurement and vendor accountability

• Data localisation, sovereignty, storage and disaster recovery

• Transparency, verifiability and public trust in electoral technology

• Emerging technologies and the future of digital elections

Across these tracks, submissions examining legal and regulatory frameworks, constitutional principles, electoral jurisprudence, technical standards, institutional preparedness, accountability, human rights and comparative international experiences are particularly encouraged.

Important Dates

• Abstract submission deadline: September 11, 2026

• Notification of acceptance: September 28, 2026

• Conference date: October 14-15, 2026

• Full paper submission (accepted abstracts): 1^st December 2026

Abstract Submission Guidelines

Applicants should submit the following in a single PDF:

• A 300-word Abstract.

• A bio containing a brief professional background, current role and contact details.

Submissions selected for presentation at the Conference will be published in the Journal of Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (JIPIT) in 2027, providing visibility and recognition for contributors.

Submission Process:

Send your submissions to: cipit@strathmore.edu under the subject line, DPGSK 2026 Conference Abstract Submission – (Your Name).