Islam as Terrorists: Analysis of Kenyan Newspaper Stereotypes and the Driving Factors

Abstract

In the 2025 Global Terrorism Index Report, the number of countries experiencing terrorist incidents increased from 58 to 66, with an evident upsurge in attacks. Kenya was ranked among the top 20 worst-hit countries in the world. Another report released by the Kenyan government in 2024 found that more than 500 lives had been lost to terrorism between 1998 and 2023. In these attacks, the media have linked terrorism to Islam, labeling Muslims as ‘terrorists’; associating them with broader violent networks, and reinforcing stereotypes that fuel radicalisation, targeting over 2 billion Muslims worldwide. These biased narratives have fostered mistrust and discrimination, affecting law enforcement and policymakers from building trust and promoting peace; thereby hindering counter-extremism strategies. Even though studies have been conducted in this area, the incessant worsening situation calls for more in-depth research to understand this phenomenon better and to provide resolutions. This study, therefore, developed two objectives to unravel the research problem. It examined how the print media reinforced stereotypes about Islam in the context of terrorist attacks, and also identified and analysed the factors that influenced print media framing of stereotypical stories about Islam in the context terrorism attacks in Kenya. Guided by framing and gatekeeping theories, the study adopted a descriptive survey research design and used a mixed-methods approach for data collection. In the mixed methods, the study utilised qualitative and quantitative approaches. In the qualitative, content analysis was conducted on 676 copies of Standard and Nation newspapers, complemented by interviews with 24 key informants drawn from journalists, religious leaders, media scholars, and counter-terrorism/security experts. For the quantitative data, the study used quantitative content analysis, which measured the frequency of words, themes, and phrases linking Islam to terrorism. Findings have indicated that media reporting often departed from formal guidelines, systematically reinforcing stereotypes that have represented Islam as terrorism sympathiser and perpetrator. This hegemonic bias has undermined counter-extremism strategies in Kenya by fueling mistrust and radicalisation. The study has therefore recommended incorporating religion-sensitive and terrorism-sensitive reporting into journalism training, strengthening media policies and guidelines, and delicensing journalists who report in a way that advances tension, terrorism, and radicalisation, among others.