Political communication strategies in Mozambique

between candidate exclusion and the fight against disinformation

Abstract

With the emergence of social networks, political communication has become one of the research topics with more interest. The first election of Barack Obama (2008) and the use of social networks was one of the first important events, following by several examples where politicians are increasingly using social networks as communication tools. This article focuses on Mozambique and seeks to analyze how politicians use social networks in their communication with citizens, particularly the Facebook. In Mozambique, it is important to underline that in the beginning the social networks were seen as harmful and disturbing for the society, but since 2014 they have been used, not only to share political speeches, but also to fight against the spread and share of false news. This article is the result of an ongoing research started in 2018 through the realization of a virtual ethnography during the municipal elections in Mozambique, as well as the collection of elements of analysis through internet pages focusing on Facebook. One of the most relevant findings is the use of social media as an alternative platform for politicians that face some difficulties with traditional media.