Over the past one and a half decades, social media has grown rapidly in Kenya, where some leaders have taken advantage of it to popularize their political interests.
Although some have attained popularity online, when it came to the ballot, they lost resoundingly, raising questions about whether social media popularity can translate into votes.
Times Digital Kenya lists some of the leaders who, despite their huge online presence, were not successful in getting elected.
Miguna Miguna
Controversial lawyer Miguna Miguna, who has a huge following on X and Facebook, thought it was enough to vie for the Nairobi Governor seat in 2017. He conducted most of his campaigns online, believing that this would be sufficient to help him clinch the top position.
Unfortunately, he came fourth in the 2017 Nairobi gubernatorial elections, behind the likes of Mike Sonko, Evans Kidero, and Peter Kenneth. He consistently refused to concede defeat, claiming Mike Sonko’s win was fraudulent.
Peter Kenneth
Peter Kenneth, who became the first Kenyan presidential candidate without a traditional African name, was a media and online darling in the run-up to the 2013 General Election.
Many social media users referred to him as muthungu (“white man”), which seemed to boost his popularity among netizens. In 2012, young people were saying it was “time for new leadership,” and Peter Kenneth, then the best-performing MP, offered that sense of hope—similar to the “audacity of hope” slogan popularized by Mr. IBU’s supporters.
However, when the election results were announced, this online popularity did not translate into votes, as Kenneth emerged fifth with just 72,000 votes.
Mohammed Abduba Dida
In the lead-up to the 2013 General Election, Abduba Dida captured the nation’s imagination with his unconventional campaign style, which attracted many online users.
When the results were announced, Dida had garnered 52,848 votes, representing 0.43% of the total.
This made him a well-known figure in Kenyan politics, advocating for more moral and just leadership. His online presence continued to grow, and he also contested the 2017 election.
However, the outcome was similar to the previous election, as he received just 38,004 votes, representing 0.25% of the total.
George Wajackoyah
George Luchiri Wajackoyah, a legal practitioner, became a sensation ahead of the 2022 general election. His advocacy to legalize weed if elected President earned him a huge social media following, with many youths resonating with his ideas.
His clips and photos went viral online, with young people seemingly on his side. Nonetheless, when the election results were announced, Wajackoyah, the Roots Party leader, managed to garner only 61,969 votes, representing 0.4% of the total votes cast.
