Kenyans tweeting more as elections approach
Kenyans are beginning to focus on the campaigns less than two months to the August 8 election, a review of Twitter conversation in the past eight weeks by Nation Newsplex and @Twitter reveals.
More than 100,000 tweets referenced the election from June 23-29, a 63 per cent increase compared to about 68,000 tweets that were shared from May 5-11. Last week, 89,831 tweets referenced Election 2017, which was 22 per cent less than this week.
Jubilee more talked about than Nasa
From June 23-29, Jubilee was more talked about on Twitter, dislodging the National Super Alliance (Nasa) from the top spot. Jubilee was referenced in 71,873 tweets, double the number related to NASA, which was 34,070 tweets.
On Jubilee’s peak day, June 26, conversations were driven by the collapse of the Sigiri Bridge in Budalang’i that was recently inspected by President Uhuru Kenyatta and the launch of the Jubilee Manifesto.
On that day, Jubilee was referenced in 20, 605 tweets, about two-thirds the number of tweets the party got in an entire week from May 5-11. Jubilee’s previous peak day was June 26 when the party was referenced in over 9,900 tweets.
Some Jubilee supporters were quick to conclude that there were sinister motives behind the collapse of the bridge. @atanasi said: “Vandalism is a serious crime. Kenyans must condemn this with the strongest terms possible #EnemiesOfKenya”.
But @K_mountainous said: “The country just lost 1.2 Billion just like that? Who is going to pay for this #SigiriBridge fiasco? It’s not a laughing matter.”
LAUNCHING MANIFESTO
But by the peak hour, 9pm, focus had shifted to Kasarani Stadium where the party was launching its manifesto. During that hour 3,070 tweets were shared.
On NASA’s peak day, June 27, there were 8,024 comments related to the party on Twitter. Events on this day included the launch of the Nasa Manifesto at Ngong Racecourse, Nairobi.
The conversations were also driven by a tweet from @RailaOdinga, evoking US President Ronald Reagan, in which he said: “On 8/8, the Kenyan voter will make a decision based on a simple question; ‘Are you better off now than you were four and half years ago?”. The tweet had 1, 029 retweets, 1417 likes and 319 replies.
@Ian_kimathi replying to @RailaOdinga’s pledge that Nasa was committed to eradicating corruption said: “This is one thing that I am sure Raila hates. Corruption is not in his league.”
@Daniel_Osiemo said: “#NASAManifesto I strongly believe that NASA will deliver on its manifesto and would like to recommend @RailaOdinga for President.”
But @MunyuaNduati was not convinced that Nasa has anything to offer Kenya. Replying to @RailaOdinga’s tweet of the Kenyan voter choosing based on their state for the past four and a half years he said: “Nothing new… we are better with jubilee than a clueless amorphous NASA. A recycled regime.”
A tweet does not necessarily need to be supportive towards a political party to be included in either category.
Who are the most talked-about candidates?
During the week under analysis, President Uhuru Kenyatta was the most talked-about candidate.
Almost half (49 per cent) of all the tweets on the 10 topics related to him, while 22 per cent referred to Nasa flagbearer Raila Odinga. The two are the most high profile politicians in Kenya currently.
A third (35 per cent) of the tweets that referenced the president fccused on jobs.
@NdunguWainaina said: “@UKenyatta @WilliamsRuto , You claim Nasa is funded by corruption cartels. This is admission of failed leadership in tackling corruption.
@Robaa82 said: “Ati #NASA will fight corruption! Joke of a century. When @UKenyatta sacked @mamangilu she got refuge in @RailaOdinga camp.. Land deals.”
A quarter (27 per cent) of the tweets that mentioned Mr Odinga focused on corruption.
@vokesenenger said: “Corruption, high cost of living and primitive accumulation of wealth.3 things enough to convince the voter against uhuruto @RailaOdinga.”