Avicii, Matiba, Alikiba top Google searches for the week
Swedish Disc Jockey (DJ) and electronic dance music superstar Avicii topped the list of trending Google Kenyan searches for the week between April 15 and 22.
The late Avicii (real name Tim Bergling) was found dead on Friday in Muscat, the capital of Oman – a popular vacation destination on the Arabian Peninsula.
Coming at number two on the top trending searches released by search giant Google on Sunday was football with the FA Cup semi-final match between Manchester United and London-based Tottenham Hotspur and Arsene Wenger’s announcement that he was leaving Arsenal at the end of the season, ending a near 22-year reign as manager.
The 68-year-old French football manager and former player, departs a year before his latest contract was due to expire, and having won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups, including the Double in 1998 and 2002.
Multiparty crusader Kenneth Matiba trended at number three as Kenyans sought to find details of his demise coming after the veteran Kenyan politician and democracy activist passed away on the evening of Sunday April 15 at the age of 85 years while undergoing treatment at the Karen Hospital after a long illness.
Peaking at number four was Tanzanian music crooner Ali Saleh Kiba’s, popularly known in music circles as Alikiba, wedding on Thursday April 19 to Mombasa-born Amina Khalif in an event that brought together celebrated music stars, businessmen and high ranking politicians; among then Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho.
Earth Day, an annual event celebrated on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection, came in fifth.
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At number six was the arrest of bongo flave star Diamond Platnumz, over an explicit threesome video featuring himself and her baby mama Hamissa Mobetto which he posted on social media.
The late Baringo South MP Grace Kipchoim, who died on Friday aged 49 year was the seventh trending search item on Google. The legislator passed on while undergoing treatment at Nairobi Hospital after a long battle with colon cancer.
Kenya Power came in at number eight as Kenyans went online to vent their frustrations over the glitch in the electronic payment system that made it difficult to top up tokens on prepaid meters, along with claims of inflated power bills.
Trending at number nine was the resignation of three IEBC Commissioners, vice chair Connie Maina, Paul Kurgat and Margaret Mwachanya on Monday citing lack of faith in the IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati. The resignations followed a decision by a section of the commissioners to send CEO Ezra Chiloba on compulsory leave to allow an audit of the 2017 election financial processes.
Rounding off the top 10 was the much hyped Julius Malema Challenge which started on Saturday afternoon following the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader’s speech at Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s funeral. Malema used the occasion to call out government leaders for their hypocrisy.
But Kenyans on social media picked up Malema’s punchline for comic relief in what became a trending topic under the hashtag #JuliusMalemaChallenge.
Google Top Trending Searches:
1. Avicii
2. Football: Manchester United vs Tottenham, Arsene Wenger
3. Kenneth Matiba
4. Alikiba wedding
5. Earth day
6. Diamond Platnumz arrested
7. Grace Kipchoim
8. Kenya Power token delay
9. IEBC commissioners resign
10. Julius Malema Challenge