Legacy media left gasping for breath, credibility counts in journalism
This analysis features trending topics between July 7 and July 11, 2025, on X, Tik Tok and Facebook
1. Ngong
Ngong trended primarily due to escalating violence during the Saba Saba protests, with numerous posts urging people to monitor the area as police clashed with protesters. The situation drew widespread attention following reports of youth fatalities and an attempted arson attack on a police station. The trend was driven by shocking real-time footage, the active involvement of local youth, and a lack of immediate medical response, all of which heightened public outrage and amplified the conversation online.
Ngong peaked at position 4 on X, garnering 58K tweets within three hours.
https://x.com/mama_hawi/status/1942214220864495993
Impact on media
The virality of Ngong-related content, especially reports of police brutality and youth fatalities, placed mainstream media under scrutiny for delayed or limited coverage. This sparked conversations about media bias, editorial gate-keeping, and the growing trust gap between traditional outlets and digital audiences, particularly during politically charged events.
2. #77NiNumbers & #SabaSaba2025
The hashtags #77NiNumbers and #SabaSaba2025 trended prominently on social media during the July 7, 2025, protests on Saba Saba day, which marked the 35th anniversary of the historic 1990 pro-democracy march. #77NiNumbers accompanied posts showing graphic scenes from the protests, including alleged casualties, one of the most disturbing being a video of police dragging a dead body into a station, and videos of masked officers firing live bullets into homes. These posts often tagged international bodies such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) and global media outlets, indicating an effort to draw worldwide attention to alleged state violence.
In parallel, #SabaSaba2025 captured the spirit of renewed resistance on July 7, highlighting anger over police brutality, corruption, and extrajudicial killings. Many posts under this hashtag called for national unity across ethnic lines and amplified citizen demands for justice and reform under President William Ruto’s administration. The hashtags gained traction due to the escalating violence, the historical symbolism of Saba Saba Day, and the digital-savvy, youth-led nature of the movement.
Mobilisation for the protests was especially viral on Facebook, where coded messages containing the hashtags helped rally large turnouts. #77NiNumbers peaked at #1 on Xwith 1.7 million posts over a 24-hour period, while #SabaSaba2025 trended at #2, garnering 491K tweets in just six hours.
Impact on media
The surge of real-time protest content under #77NiNumbers and #SabaSaba2025 forced mainstream media to rely heavily on social media as a primary news source. While this allowed for timely updates and on-the-ground visuals, it also amplified misinformation and posed major verification challenges. This dynamic highlighted the growing dilemma between speed and accuracy in digital-era journalism.
3. #WeAreAllKikuyus
The hashtag #WeAreAllKikuyus began trending in response to tribal profiling during the anti-government protests of July 7, 2025. Politicians allied with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) accused the Kikuyu community of orchestrating the Saba Saba demonstrations, which escalated into violence and claimed over 35 lives, including that of a 12-year-old girl struck by a stray bullet in Ndumberi, Kiambu. In defiance of the ethnic scapegoating, a powerful online movement emerged, especially on X, where thousands of Kenyans, led by Gen Z, added Kikuyu names to their usernames as a statement against tribalism and a show of unity. Influential leaders such as former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Martha Karua, and Kalonzo Musyoka joined the trend, publicly identifying with Kikuyu names in solidarity.
The hashtag quickly became a powerful symbol of resistance to ethnic division, topping global trends on X, with over 291K tweets from Kenya alone in just three hours. On Facebook, engagement was also significant. A closer look at a post by NTV Kenya using the hashtag message We Are All Kikuyus showed that within just a few hours, over 5K users had reacted, indicating strong traction and resonance with Facebook audiences as well.
https://x.com/Wanjiru2027/status/1942796950803513654
Impact on media
The #WeAreAllKikuyus trend forced mainstream media to reconsider how they report on politically charged events involving ethnic communities. Following public backlash, especially from Gen Z, media houses that initially echoed tribal narratives shifted their tone to focus on national unity and youth-driven activism. This incident highlighted growing public intolerance for ethnic profiling in the media and emphasized the importance of responsible, inclusive reporting.
4. Moses Kuria
Moses Kuria trended on social media following his resignation as President William Ruto’s Senior Economic Advisor, which he announced via his X account on July 8. The announcement sparked intense online debate, especially as it came shortly after he made a controversial statement declaring there would be “no elections in 2027”, a remark widely condemned for contradicting Kenya’s constitutional requirement for elections every five years. The statement triggered public outrage, with many accusing him of promoting anti-democratic rhetoric. Online reactions were mixed: some users mocked his departure, others speculated on his political intentions, and many linked his resignation to the recent Saba Saba protests on July 7, 2025, which were marked by significant unrest and a reported death toll of over 30. The timing and tone of his exit fueled speculation about his next move, including the possibility of forming a new party or aligning with other political figures ahead of the 2027 general elections. His resignation was widely interpreted as a strategic political maneuver, especially amid growing momentum in the Mt Kenya region, an influential voting bloc, supporting calls by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for President Ruto to serve only one term.
On Facebook, more than 12K users engaged in discussions about Kuria, amplifying talk of a looming political realignment. Citizen TV Kenya’s post announcing his resignation attracted 41K reactions within 12 hours, while on X, Kuria trended at position two with over 403K tweets in a 24-hour period.
Impact on media
Moses Kuria’s resignation sparked massive engagement on social media, with over 403k tweets and widespread reactions on Facebook. This surge demonstrated how digital platforms continue to shape public opinion and set the agenda for legacy media. Traditional outlets were compelled to follow the online conversation, analyse trending sentiments, and report on speculations circulating among users, highlighting how platforms like X now play a central role in influencing news coverage, political narratives, and national discourse.
5. #ShootFirstSir & Nelson Koech
The hashtag #ShootFirstSir and the name Nelson Koech trended following a controversial statement by the Belgut MP, who chairs the National Assembly’s Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations Committee. Koech publicly endorsed a shoot-to-kill approach against violent protesters, directly contradicting President William Ruto’s earlier directive to “shoot but do not kill,” which was meant to avoid fatalities during ongoing anti-government demonstrations. His remarks sparked widespread outrage, especially among X users, who viewed them as an endorsement of escalating police brutality amid protests fueled by economic hardship, corruption, and recent deaths in police custody. The hashtag #ShootFirstSir, popularized by blogger Cyprian Nyakundi, gained traction as a sarcastic call for Koech and other advocates of lethal force to personally lead from the frontlines and embody the risks they proposed for others. The trend was further driven by posts condemning Koech’s leadership and demanding his arrest for incitement, reflecting growing public frustration with the government’s handling of the unrest and the perceived hypocrisy of issuing violent directives from positions of power and safety.
The convergence of Koech’s remarks and the viral hashtag quickly gained momentum: #ShootFirstSir reached the top trending position on X with 13K posts within two hours, while Nelson Koech trended at position five with 12K mentions over four hours, marking a significant flashpoint in the ongoing public dissent.
Impact on media
The virality of the hashtag #ShootFirstSir, driven by influential X users like Cyprian Nyakundi, demonstrated how social media is increasingly shaping national discourse ahead of traditional media. As the hashtag trended and public outrage intensified online, mainstream outlets were prompted to cover the story, often reacting to the momentum already built on digital platforms. This reflects an ongoing shift in the media landscape, where legacy media now follows the lead of social media trends, particularly during moments of political tension or public dissent.
