6 times when the wrath of #KOT united Kenyans

Kenyans on Twitter are to be feared, and in the same breath, respected.

KOT, as they are known, have been at the forefront of highlighting some of the country's ills, but they have also been labeled as bullies for hitting celebrities below the belt.

Let’s just say KOT are a passionate lot.

The number of times the app has brought Kenyans together is something that stands out, however. 

KOT vs. other countries on Twitter

In 2015, in what became a trending topic worldwide, Kenyans on Twitter sought an apology from International broadcasters CNN who had referred to Kenya as a “hotbed of terror.”

The hashtag #SomeonetellCNN trended worldwide when the keyboard warriors of the twitter streets sought to defend Kenya’s honor.

These are some of the tweets from KOT at the time:

Sometime in 2019, a Nigerian journalist faced the wrath of  #KOT when she said she would not visit Kenya due to a terror attack. She was referring to the 2019 terror attack at a Mogadishu office.

She tweeted in part “I will not be in #Nairobi tomorrow. Al-Shabab terrorists often operate in Kenya #Dusit #KemiOlunloyo.”

This tweet resulted in a Kenya vs. Nigerians war on twitter and Kenyans did not hold back. 

A Kenyan on twitter called @Godanski, through a savage reply, said: They would have stopped you at the airport anyway. We do not entertain threats to the national IQ average.

@iamchimano said:  “Your fans? Sis what level of delusion are you on. Mogadishu and Nairobi I didn’t know it’s the same place? The nerve! Please stay there in your bastion of security that is Nigeria.”

@major_ndungu tackled her and said: “Women in Kenya wear weaves to enhance beauty... Women from Nigeria put on weaves to differentiate gender,” “Nigerians do not understand English. They say, "Do not george a book by its cover,” @kiptoomanuu added.

Safe Haven for job seekers 

Kenyans on Twitter have for a long time used the hashtag #Ikokazike to highlight employment opportunities and look for greener pastures on the web.

Any Kenyan who would like to explore the opportunities or has a job to offer, uses the hashtag. 

Kenyans on Twitter in turn drum up support by retweeting, sharing, liking or commenting on the post to attract prospective employers.

One of  the jobseekers @Kasungwa_ tweeted in part: Good Morning , Job seekers , Lets do something different with the tag #IkokaziKe Lest shoot our shots..."

Uniting against social ills 

KOT have been known to rally against social ills, like the recent incident in which a woman driver was assaulted by boda boda riders on the Wangari Maathai road. 

In the video, the lady was seen screaming and asking for help while the boda boda riders groped and touched her inappropriately.

Outraged Kenyans on Twitter demanded justice and the swift arrest of the culprits who were caught in the viral video. 

@teddyeugine said : "The Forest Road incident that saw boda boda guys attack a lady is heartbreaking. Time for the authorities to find these guys."

“Boda Bodas are the biggest threat to national security, worse than terrorism. Their everyday recklessness on the road causes accidents that lead to loss of limbs and lives. Some of them are in gangs that rob, maim and even kill. They need to be regulated before it’s too late,” activist Boniface Mwangi said.

Within a week, the main suspect was arrested at the Kenya- Tanzania border, as were the rest of his accomplices. 

Miss Mandi's Bullying incident

Sometime in January, former media personality Mandi Sarro came under fire when she was accused of bullying a former colleague, this is after she had tweeted about accountability.

Sarro's tweet read: “I truly dislike people who aren’t big on accountability. You can’t go around doing things that hurt people then are afraid to be held accountable to your actions. You’re stunting your own growth.”

Sarro's ex-colleague Gitobu Koome, burst her accountability bubble by referring to a bad incident he underwent with Sarro.

“This woman. Made up such hurtful nicknames for me behind my back and would laugh in my face because I couldn’t afford to order fancy food for lunch, so I would cook my own food and carry,” wrote Koome.

Kenyans on Twitter were sparked by Koome's reply and started accusing Mandi of lacking accountability herself, under the hashtag #survivingmissmandi.

These are some of the tweets.

The most recent hashtag that Kenyans on Twitter supported was the #lowerfoodprices hashtag.

On February 20, Kenyans united to push a strong message as the country heads to a General Election; that the prices of common food items were through the roof and Kenyans were suffering. 

In 2015, Kenyans on Twitter in just 28hours, were able to raise more than Ksh. 6 Million for Emmanuel Jadudi, who at the time needed a surgery to remove a recurring brain tumour.

Award-winning writer, Jackson Biko, well known as Biko Zulu highlighted Jadudi’s story through his blog.

"He doesn't have much time left. He needs our help to fly out to India for a fourth brain surgery... he needs 1m [Kenyan] shillings [$10,000] by Saturday," he wrote.

"We all have the power to help this boy. We have the power to show our compassion to a stranger in need." He added.

Biko urged Kenyans on Twitter to use the hashtag #1MilliForJadudi to spread the message.

An overjoyed Jadudi tweeted in response: "I am beyond grateful I'm overwhelmed with joy."

Another incident where Kenyans on Twitter came through for another Kenyan was in 2019.

Lucy Gatimu, A mama fua who has since found an online support for her washing business, had suffered a bullying incident on Twitter. 

Kenyans decided to send her money to alleviate the experience she underwent. Others asked for her services to clean their homes and offices.