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Miguna, Weinstein drive Kenya's top online search trends

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Former Nairobi gubernatorial candidate, Miguna Miguna, used "demagogue" during a live TV talk show. PHOTO | GOOGLE

The word "demagogue" and powerful Hollywood film producer and executive Harvey Weinstein emerged the top trending internet searches in Kenya for the month of October.

Former Nairobi gubernatorial candidate, Miguna Miguna, used "demagogue" during a live TV talk show that ended up with him being banned from the show for “promoting violence.”

According to data from Google, Kenyans thronged the internet in search of the word’s meaning shortly after it aired.

Mr Weinstein, on the hand, trended after an explosive report published by the New York Times detailed numerous cases of alleged sexual harassment on female actresses by the director.

In the period following publication of the piece, Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o also told of her own experience with the studio executive in an op-ed penned in The Times.

Football star Dennis Oliech was the third most searched item online, according to Internet search giant Google, owing to a viral image depicting him as struggling and false news that he had become broke was shared on blogs.

Kenyans then thronged the search site to keep up with news and recent events about Mr Oliech.

Gambling

Kenyans' love for gambling was laid bare after “Bet numbers prediction today” emerged the fourth in the top searches.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) former commissioner Roselyn Akombe was the fifth most searched item due to the events that unfolded before and after her resignation.

Ms Akombe left the country days to the repeat presidential election under the pretext of overseeing the printing of ballot papers. She later claimed that she had to leave because her life was in danger.

READ: Roselyn Akombe breaks down during live radio interview

The Las Vegas mass shooting by a lone gunman which claimed 58 lives, fashion blogger Sharon Mundia, public holiday Mashujaa day, controversial businessman and the opposition’s top financier Jimi Wanjigi and popular vernacular comedian Kianangi (real name Geoffrey Mwangi) also made it to the top ten trending list.