How Powerful Twitter Is In Kenya
24 Hours ago, the petition Add Kenya as a Trend Location on Twitter went live. Visit the petition page for more details and remember to click on ’Sign and Tweet’.
This idea came about after @natekev was kind enough to respond to my tweet, below. We often relate to at least 3 worldwide trending topics and often have Kenyans On Twitter (KOT) contributes to a number of Top 10s. Wouldn’t it be awesome to have a category where all 10 trends make sense to us?
KENYA really deserves to be added her twitpic.com/8apxsb @twitter
Evans Gichomo (@eGichomo) February 18, 2012
@natekev exactly. #AddKenyaToTrends someone should organise that petition..
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Evans Gichomo (@eGichomo) February 18, 2012Well, that ‘someone’ to organize the petition turned out to be me. Within 20 minutes, The petition was live and signatures started streaming in. I’m a numbers-person and some of the updates I’ve gives are as below:
1 Hour later, 60 tweets reaching 53,437 tweeps.
6 Hours later, 132 tweets reaching 97,880 tweeps.
20 Hours later, 168 tweets reaching 110,513 tweeps.
24 Hours later, 178 tweets reaching 115,053 tweeps.
Within 11Hrs, #AddKenyaToTrends petition became a New #1 petition on act.ly
Here are some of the notable reactions in the #AddKenyaToTrends petition hashtag:
New #1: Petition @twitter to Add 'Kenya' as a Trend Location on Twitter act.ly/5kc RT to sign. #AddKenyaToTrends @support
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act.ly (@actly) February 20, 2012I have directed @twitter to Add 'Kenya' as a Trending Location on Twitter act.ly/5kc RT to sign. #AddKenyaToTrends @support
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Mzee Mwai Kibaki (@MwaiKibaki) February 21, 2012tungependa serikali iingilie kati #AddKenyaToTrends
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Duncan Nyasio (@Duny_Niche) February 20, 2012Kenya is a bigwig on twitter. Weaklings beg. Bigwigs win it! Its our right! #AddKenyaToTrends @Support
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Kenny Kaburu (@kennytoonz) February 20, 2012kwa upande mmoja kuna petition ya #addKenyatoTrends na kwa upande mwingine kuna #topgearforrhinocharge
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Edwin Baru (@EdwinBaru) February 20, 2012#TwitterThumbsUp to @eGichomo for starting the #AddKenyaToTrends initiative.
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Edna Gicovi (@edgicovi) February 20, 2012Erm guys, you have to go to the link act.ly/5kc to petition Twitter to #AddKenyaToTrends. Don't just RT someone's tweet, mkay! ;)
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Edna Gicovi (@edgicovi) February 20, 2012Enyewe the should just #AddKenyaToTrends so that we can mute those Lady Biba trends
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(@Dexxe) February 20, 2012#AddKenyaToTrends Truth is, twitter can only grow in Kenya.
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Michael Karanja (@Michael_iBits) February 20, 2012#AddKenyaToTrends
#AddKenyaToTrends
#AddKenyaToTrends
@Twitter You hear us! #KOT needs their own trend location
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Junior (@PruLLr) February 20, 2012Having Kenya as an option in the Location will be relevant in our active, local social media scene especially in this election year. Kenyans have managed to start many global trending topics and having an options to view Kenya trends will help engage in productive initiatives as well as interactions in humorous trends. Let us hope Twitter responds to this request.
The below tweet got me thinking. Are we likely to run away from Bieber trends and find ourselves having regional ‘Biebers’? 
KOT are fond of participating in Funny trending topics. The concern here is that of content. Twitter has been used to change regimes and organize good courses. I hope this happens in Kenya. I hope KOT engage in productive conversations that will bring about positive change. Discussion is open in the comments section below..
Having Kenya as a trend location is what #KOT think is a priority? Lets build content first
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Wangai (@wangadoodski) February 21, 2012NB: A signature for the petition counts once you click on “Sign and Tweet” here
There’s so much potential for social media in Kenya. I think 2012 will have numerous display of this.
Leave a Reply
Bravo!!
Gracias!! Post will look much better with an UPDATE saying @twitter added Kenya to Trend Locations
and who is a beiber tweep..
Beiber trends you mean? Hypothetical for those top trends you hardly participate in..
This most interesting and I must salute you for starting this petition. It has gotten a life of its own now. Lets hope that Twitter will hear the demands and honour it because #KOT deserve it.
It seems lost on the media people on the importance of this….they can gauge their reach,influence and effect of their news. Pity really…….!!
Again, to you and Nate.
Good observation there Mmnjug,
Media people/houses in Kenya would enjoy this most since it’s a form of filter, geographically. At least I’m not the only one seeing it from that perspective!
Appreciate it.
Danke! (thank you) guys…and lets push this till Twitter DO respond
Good stuff, build it and they will come!
Cheers Bobby! I like how it’s growing every hour…
lets go all the way on this one fam……
You said it man. We can do this!!
This is what we deserve. I hope it shall be honoured because of a variety of needs from diverse clientele in Kenya.
I applaud you for the petition
Thanks Mburu,
I sure hope it’s honored and now it will be up to Kenyans to work on content. I hope the trending topics will be meaningful. Twitter has been used to change regimes and as much as KOT love ”funny” trending topics, we can as well change the country and make it better!
I agree with you really. Most of the time we just talk about topics that do not add value to the development of our nation. That’s great thing in mid.