Last year, Kenyans marched in the streets declaring themselves tribeless hoping to break the generational curse of tribalism. But a year later, the data tells a harder truth: we’ve grown even more tribal online. Teaming up with @TribelessYouth, we analyzed over 6 million X

The tension carries dangerous echoes of 2007, when political division turned deadly. As the 2027 elections approach, the challenge will be keeping Kenya’s online spaces from becoming battlegrounds of hate and turning them instead into forums for truth, accountability, and unity.

Despite the noise, hope remains. The word “Tribeless”, born from Gen Z protests, keeps resurfacing during political flashpoints proof that many Kenyans are still pushing back against ethnic baiting. Movements like #WeAreAllKikuyus show what digital solidarity can look like

We detected hashtags like #RutosNewOrder and #IStandWithThePolice showing signs of coordinated activity: new accounts, identical tweets, same timestamps. These patterns point to troll farms amplifying ethnic narratives

It’s not just more conversations, it’s more toxic. In 2025, half of all ethnicity-related posts carried negative or harmful tones. The Kikuyu, Luo, and Kalenjin communities faced the most polarization. Switching to Kiswahili or Sheng often makes posts more aggressive.

The spike began in June 2024, right after the Gen Z–led protests. Since then, every major political flashpoint from #WeAreAllKikuyus to the Ruto–Raila handshake and Gachagua’s impeachment has reignited ethnic talk online.

The numbers are clear: in 2025, Kenyans are posting close to 10,000 ethnicity-related tweets daily up 50% from 2024. Ethnic rhetoric online is gaining momentum, mirroring rising political tension ahead of 2027

Report by @AKU_GSMC calls for establishment and resourcing of gender desks in all newsrooms and strengthened follow-up reporting through legally safe ways to name and frame perpetrators of gender-based violence 🔗 https://t.co/OgWOteiNMa #SGBVandFemicideFraming #EndFemicideKE

When corruption becomes culture, a nation is doomed because everyone has a price. From threats to buyouts, Kenya is entering dangerous territory. Are we witnessing the playbook unfold in real time? . #vybecast #stateofthenation #corruptionculture #kenya

Do Kenyans forgive too easily? From Kibaki to Ruto, we keep repeating the cycle of goodwill lost, scandals excused, and collective amnesia. What does this say about our bar for leadership? . #vybecast #kenyanleadership #kenyanpolitics #kibaki #ruto

If you're afraid of creating positive trouble because you're worried that being a troublemaker can put your life at risk, consider that you can live the most middle-of-the-road, milquetoast, inoffensive, quiet, invisible, careful life, and then you step out of your house one day

The world now has fewer democracies than autocracies for the first time in over 20 years. Approximately 72% of the world population now lives in autocratic states, the highest share since 1978. https://t.co/Oc7NHBXaB0

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#Podcasts in Kenya aren’t just media—they’re now movements. With loyal fandoms, and rising cultural clout, their influence is starting to rival mainstream media. In key political moments like protests, elections, they might not just shape opinions—they could shape outcomes. Read

In today’s media landscape, the challenge isn’t reach—it’s connection. #Podcasts have mastered this, not by mass output, but by depth. In our sample, they get 7× the views and 14× the engagement of mainstream media uploads. Advertisers and funders are taking note.

Mainstream media has taken notice. Starting with radio talk shows, we’ve noted a growing trend where traditional TV shows are adopting podcast-style set design and framing into linear programming.

From our analysis, the success of podcasts leverages on intimacy and building communities. #Podcasts are not just broadcasting, they are forming trusted bonds with their followers through intentional intimacy—long, casual conversations, couches, friends, hoodies, not stages or

#Podcasting in Kenya has captured an overwhelmingly young, male audience; with males making up 71% of the listeners of the top 10 podcasts in our list - 65% when extended to the top 20. This audience is also predominantly young, with the 25-34 age bracket taking up the largest

#Podcasts are mostly discovered and consumed via viral short-form video on social, not long form episodes. Our research shows short-form clips on TikTok drive far more viewership than full YouTube episodes.

The ranking reveals a clear pattern; Kenya’s #podcast scene is dominated by familiar faces—TV, radio, and influencer veterans. While anyone can start a podcast, breaking through usually takes pre-built reputation and audience trust.