Kenyan developers University of Games (UoG) have created election-themed game app Election Thief in a bid to prompt consideration of peace and leadership ahead of the March 4 polls.
The Android-based game challenges users to track down and chase a bad guy who has stolen the votes during the presidential elections. Players take on the character of Omu, an ordinary citizen.
The developers intend the game to be a fun way of highlighting poignant issues such as peaceful voting and the importance of fair leadership within all levels of Kenyan society, in the lead up to the elections, the first since the disputed polls of 2007 which were followed by widespread ethnic violence.
“The challenge, the story, the game-play and the artwork intertwine and work together to give the player fun as well as subtly pushing them to think about more serious things such as the importance of peace, and the role of leadership in society,” Brian Kinyua, Lead Programmer at UoG, told HumanIPO.
Explaining UoG’s wishes regarding the impact of Election Thief, Kinyua said the company hopes to contribute to a considered and informed choice in the elections by voters.
“We hope that people will be able to judge for themselves what good leadership is. We hope that they will no longer be hypnotized and manipulated into doing things that will not benefit them. We hope that they will make the right choices,” he said.
Election Thief is available via Google Play, at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.uogames.ElectionThief&feature=md
