Survey shows social media influencers outdid leading media outlets during Gen Z revolt
The research by Odipo Dev shows that an average news consumer in Kenya today is "found" by the news

Kenyan influencers Khalif Kairo, Murugi Munyi and Eric Omondi garnered engagement levels comparable to Kenya’s leading media outlets on Instagram during the peak of Gen Z uprising in May-June 2024.
According to a study by data analytics and research firm Odipo Dev, Kairo was the influencer with the most interactions, reaching in excess of six million interactions, followed by Omondi with four million interactions.
Citizen TV was third with 3.8 million interactions, while Munyi amassed around 1.6 million interactions.
To understand the state of digital news consumption in Kenya, Odipo Dev analysed metadata from over 28,000 posts across the Facebook and Instagram pages of 31 English-speaking and vernacular news outlets in Kenya. The data was collected from May 1 to July 31, 2024, coinciding with the Gen Z uprising in Kenya.
The study shows that online was the to-go place for news consumption for a majority of people in 2024. A research by Reuters Institute showed that 89 per cent of news consumption in Kenya happens online, with 77 per cent of that on social media specifically.
The research by Odipo Dev shows that an average news consumer in Kenya today is “found” by the news. They most likely happen to bump into the day’s news as they scroll social media for entertainment, chat with friends or shopping.
“This means only the outlets and/or personalities that penetrate this alternative activity bubble, can reach this consumer with the news. Our research shows that this news ecosystem had a profound impact on how Kenyans followed and participated in the Gen Z protests that rocked the country,” says the report.
It adds: “In times of social upheaval or outstanding events like elections, citizens generally gravitate towards the news more to satisfy heightened information needs. Specifically, they seek outlets they know and trust. Our research reveals that the shape of such news outlets has drastically shifted in Kenya.”
The research shows that Nairobi Gossip Club (NGC) not only commands the highest number of video views and post interactions (Facebook and Instagram combined), but does so by a margin that leaves Kenya’s traditional media outlets far behind.
“When you zoom in on Instagram specifically, the gap becomes significantly outsized. While Instagram may not have Facebook’s reach in Kenya, it carries significant cultural clout (alongside TikTok), especially among women and Gen Z. These two groups spend a large chunk of their time online between those two platforms, and it follows that if you are to reach them with the news, this is where to do it,” says the study.
The study reports that at a cultural level, these alternative news brands have established themselves as well. They are not only a primary source of news and information, but also embody the new idea of a national platform.
“While for older generations, the “Mama I made it” moment used to be when you appeared on the primetime news, for a lot of young Kenyans that moment has shifted to being featured on NGC. Or an influencer’s podcast. Or on a viral TikTok video,” says the report, adding that Gen Zs don’t view the news to be that which is solely produced by journalists.
“This redefined media landscape is not only shaping where news is consumed, but also the content of what passes as news,” it says.