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Raila rigging claim tops Twitter talk
For the first time since the Nation Media Group started tracking election conversations on Twitter seven weeks ago, the National Super Alliance (Nasa) was more talked about than Jubilee Party on the social media platform.
In the past week, from June 16 - 22, tweets referring to Nasa were slightly more (37,142 or 51 per cent) than the ones that mentioned Jubilee (35,227). Conversation about Nasa peaked on June 20 while Jubilee was most talked about on June 16.
On Nasa’s peak day conversations were driven by Nasa presidential candidate Raila Odinga's claim that the government was planning to use the military to rig the August elections and also Nasa’s rally in Kitengela, Kajiado County.
At the rally, Mr Odinga sought to clarify that he had not incited people to fight over land during a tour of the county a few days earlier but only cautioned them against selling land out of desperation.
During the peak hour (1pm) on that day tweets were fueled by the hastags #stoprailahatespeech even as reaction to his election rigging claim also featured prominently.
@jucleopas said: “Hate-speech is more evident in these posts (related to the hastags) than what is being condemned. Grow up people. #StopRailaHateSpeech”
@TonaAntonet said: “I thinks Kenyans you don’t understand the meaning of hate speech. Baba was just speaking out his mind and he was right #StopRailaHateSpeech.”
But others were not convinced that Mr Odinga’s intention was noble. @onekennypaul said: “Let Him be, he will not be arrested. He is counting on it to win sympathy votes. #StopRailaHateSpeech.” @Kimkcee said: “The rate at which Raila is spreading hate, I’m thinking of changing my mind #StopRailaHatespeech.”
Jubilee’s peak day coincided with President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President Ruto’s tour of Bomet County. During the peak hour (2pm) the conversations were led by the hashtag #RuttoTenaBomet, which was a show of support for the re-election of Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto and counter to the Deputy President’s supremacy in Rift Valley region.
@kivuvanmuendo said: “#RuttoTenaBomet the only governor who stood for devolution when jubilee wanted to frustrate it”. But @nixonlagat0085 believes that Jubilee will bag the county. He said:”#RuttoTenaBomet calm down NASA people and accept Bomet ni Jubilee..situation at bomet 1500hrs..BOMETwakoJUBILEE.”
@Dannkasina believes the signs are not good for Jubilee. He said: “I thought Uhuruto were in Bomet today? I was waiting to see #UhuRutoInBomet trend kwani even pics of tilted cameras couldn’t help roundii?”
More tweets related to Jubilee and Nasa were negative than those that were positive. Twenty four per cent of the tweets related to Jubilee were negative, 57 per cent were neutral and 19 per cent positive. Twenty nine per cent of the tweets related to Nasa were negative, 51 per cent were neutral and 20 per cent were positive.
A tweet does not need to be supportive towards a political party or candidate 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, retaining the top slot. Two out of five (41 per cent) tweets on the 10 topics that the Nation Media Group is tracking related to him, while about almost a third (29 per cent) referred to Mr Odinga and 18 per cent of the tweets were related to Deputy President William Ruto.
Eighteen per cent of the tweets that mentioned President Kenyatta were related to jobs while 28 per cent of the conversations that referenced Odinga focused on security. @ItsSigar said: “As #TribelessYouth we must vote out this gov’t out...President Kenyatta has shuttered dreams of many young youths.NO JOBS #MissingUnga”
But @campusVoter opted to suggest a solution to youth unemployment. He said: “Low skill jobs training should go along huge infrastructure improvements being made in Africa #YouthAgenda @UKenyatta @RailaOdinga @EAukot”
But @otienogallo saw humour on in a serious topic. He said: “@RailaOdinga first 30 days as 5th president shall order for new police uniforms made WITHOUT pockets as part of fight against CORRUPTION!”
Which topics drove the social media conversation?
Security led the conversation with one in six tweets focusing on the issue. Education retained the second slot with 15 per cent while corruption which topped last week came third with 14 per cent of the tweets. Many of the comments on security were are response to Raila claim that the government intended to use the military to rig the election.
A total of 2,202 tweets from June 16 to 22 focused on the 10 topics that, in addition to security and education included also corruption, economy, health, jobs, food and water, Kenyan spirit, devolution and land reforms. In total there 94,180 tweets referenced Election 2017.
