Lamu attack, Thika rally fracas and food poisoning drive Twitter conversation

Violence, security and National Super Alliance presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s health scare dominated Twitter conversation in the past week.

During the week under analysis, between July 7 and 13, a total of 141,045 tweets were related to Election 2017, a 70 per cent increase over the previous week. 

The review of Twitter conversation by Nation Newsplex and @Twitter shows three issues led the conversation during the peak days for Jubilee and the National Super Alliance.

For the first time since the Nation Media Group started tracking election-related conversation, the two parties peaked on the same day, July 12. But the peak hours were different, with Jubilee peaking at 11am and Nasa at 5pm.

The 14,917 tweets that mentioned Jubilee that Wednesday were fuelled by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto’s tours of Homa Bay and Kisumu counties where Mr Ruto’s speeches were disrupted, the opening ceremony of the IAAF World Under-18 Championship, and the opening of the EABL brewery in Kisumu.

The President, too, got into the tweeting mix. @UKenyatta, replying to @RailaOdinga  said: “My brother @RailaOdinga Happy to see you've recovered well.” This tweet got 1,570 retweets, 2,554 likes and 533 replies.

@ItsPOS was supportive of the President’s foray into Homa Bay and Kisumu.  “#UhuRutoInNyanzawith such receptions in perceived strongholds, what we need is a free, fair and credible election. We are already peaceful.” But @amulegaiwas not impressed: “UHURUTO can promise Nyanza people whatever they what, even Heaven. But they won't reap anything from that place #UhuRutoInNyanza.

@Neu_kesh  is clearly a fan of the President.  She said: “#AllEyesonKasarani#wu18nairobi2017Isn't (it) amazing that our president @UKenyattaopens the competition & it immediately Rains with blessings.”

Jubilee was more talked about than Nasa. The party was mentioned in 79,838 tweets (60 per cent) compared to the 53,588 tweets that referenced Nasa.

Conversation on Nasa’s peak day was driven by a tweet from Mr Odinga followed by President Kenyatta’s tweet mentioned above.  @RailaOdingatweeted: “Uhuru is unashamedly propagating “Nusu mkate” fantasies and lies no one believes. We have no plans of sharing power with you Mr President.”

@haryjay254 said: “Jubilee claimed if Raila Odinga was named Nasa flag bearer, they won't campaign it will be a walk over, what are they doing now?? #JKLive.

@HonAndrewreplying to @RailaOdinga “Long Live enigma. We have a long way to go. You are a living antidote to our nation's ailments. We can never have better.”

@francismwaura98replying to @RailaOdinga’s tweet that President Kenyatta is preparing to reject elections said: “You Will Lose Again And Cry Your Eyes Out. No Intimidation Will Deter Jubilee From Forming The Government.”

A tweet does not have to be supportive towards a political party or leader to be included in either category.

Who are the most talked-about candidates?

Mr Odinga was the most talked about candidate this week, dislodging President Kenyatta from top spot.  In the past week, the Nasa leader was mentioned in 4,285 tweets in relation to the 10 key topics that Nation Media Group is tracking, while the President was referenced 3,576 times.

One third of the tweets that referenced Mr Odinga focused on the issue of food and the same proportion?

@Tonnie_tash took a light-hearted approach to the news that Mr Odinga had suffered from food poisoning. He said: “While wananchi are complaining for lack of food, @RailaOdinga is been booked in for food poisoning, Hii Kenya aki!.”

@mugane01said: “How does @RailaOdinga claim to lead odm to Canaan n yet forget to carry water, the most basic commodity? dehydration is real!!

But @ChipondaHarris1offered encouragement. He said: “Raila Odinga is our Joshua who'll take us to Canaan come Aug 8th. Nothing can happen to or harm Baba, not even food poisoning #KilifiniNASA”.

@CrispusMahea replying to this said “Raila is a human being, Kindly lower your expectations.”

The President’s decision to appoint Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i as the new acting Cabinet Secretary for Interior and the Coordination of national government soon after the death of Joseph Nkaissery, and Al Shabaab attacks in Lamu featured prominently in tweets that referenced him.

@dennistush said: “@UKenyatta should appoint Marwa, coast regional coordinator, as CS interior. He has proven to be a performer in matters of security.”

@HMureithi is worried about terrorism. While responding to reports that residents of Jima, near Pandaguo in Lamu, had abandoned their homes due to Al Shabaab attacks, he said:

“@UKenyatta something is wrong with our security. people cannot abandon their home (sic) yet we have a govt. more needs to be done.”  

@Brenda_Laku, replying to  President Kenyatta’s appeal to the Judiciary not to scuttle the election process, said:  “You are proving to be a threat to national security. Respect the independence of the judiciary.”

The other six presidential candidates were mentioned in 6,434 with 60 per cent of them referencing the Third Way Alliance presidential candidate Ekuru Aukot.

Which topics drove the social media conversation?

Security, which was mentioned in 24 per cent of tweets, was the most talked about issue of the 10 topics Nation Media Group is tracking in relation to the election.  

The conversations were fuelled by the death of Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery, the appointment of Fred Matiang’i as the acting Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government, and the disruption of a Nasa rally by rowdy youths in Thika that forced police to disperse the crowd using teargas.

The second most-talked about issue was Food and Water following the news that Mr Odinga had been admitted in Mombasa Hospital for suspected food poisoning after a rally in Kilifi.

Food security was still part of the conversation. @ItsTheMagiciansaid: “#RailaSpeaks@ntvkenya Importing maize will not be a solution to food shortage @RailaOdinga should tell us how he will improve food security”

A total of 141,045 were related to election 2017, a 70 per cent increase over the previous week.