ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a new empirical contribution to the discussions about the use of social media by political parties and candidates during election campaigns in sub-Saharan Africa SSA. Looking at how three politicians in Cameroon used Facebook in the context of the 2013 legislative and municipal election campaigns, the chapter shows that the candidates adopted a 'broadcasting' approach with regards to their use, and focuses their interactions on courtesy rather than deliberative engagements. While Kah Walla's and Joshua Osih's cases align with the tendency for politicians in Africa to gain an online presence only shortly before elections, Dooh-Collins's case suggests that the decision to use Facebook came as an afterthought. The candidates' posts consisted mostly of information about their manifestos, announcements about campaign-related events and reports about campaign activities. For Cameroonian politicians, while the costs of adopting a media-based campaign strategy are certain, its benefits, compared to other strategies, are not.
