SHA, Gachagua, Baltasar Engonga top Google searches for 2024

Google on Tuesday revealed its Year in Search 2024 lists for Kenya, offering a glimpse into the interests that captured Kenyans throughout the year.

The list is an annual analysis that reveals the top trending lists and also spotlights what the world searches to see, learn and do.

SHA leads the top trending news list for Kenyans this year, followed by Finance Bill 2024, and the US Elections 2024 in third place.

In the personalities category, the top trending local personality was former Deputy President Gachagua, who became a national topic of debate after his impeachment.

Gachagua is followed by Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano, and her Defence counterpart Soipan Tuya.

The top trending global personalities in 2024 is a mix of political figures, and entertainment personalities led by Jamaican reggae and dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel, US President-Elect Donald Trump, and American televangelist Benny Hinn, who held a crusade dubbed ‘Healing the Nation’ at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi in February.

At fourth and fifth place respectively were US Vice President Kamala Harris, and Equatorial Guinea’s former director of National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), Baltasar Engonga, who went viral after a series of sextapes with other men's wives did rounds on social media, prompting the authorities to attempt to curb their spread.

In the videos the married Engonga was seen in flagrante with various partners -- including the wives of prominent officials -- at his office in the finance ministry.

Kenyans love for football also continued to manifest this year, with the sports list being dominated by AFCON, which took place between January and February in Ivory Coast.

This was followed by Euro 2024, which was hosted in Germany from between June and July, as well as the Olympics 2024 Schedule.

The death of Brian Chira, a content creator who died in a hit-and-run accident in March, was the most searched loss by Kenyans.

Kenyans also went online to search about the deaths of Charles Ouda, a renowned actor, director, as well as media personality Rita Tinina who succumbed to severe pneumonia.

Here are the full lists of Top 10 Trending Searches by Kenyans in 2024:

Trending News

1. SHA

2. Finance Bill 2024

3. US Elections 2024

4. Gachagua Impeachment

5. Haiti

6. Cyclone Hidaya

7. Starlink Kenya

8. Gen Z

9. SHIF

10. Ford Foundation

Trending Local Personalities

1. Gachagua

2. Rebecca Miano

3. Soipan Tuya

4. Noordin Haji

5. Kindiki

6. Robert Nagila

7. Kawira Mwangaza

8. Jimmy Wanjigi

9. John Mbadi

10. Mutuse

Trending Global Personalities

1. Vybz Kartel

2. Donald Trump

3. Benny Hinn

4. Kamala Harris

5. Baltasar Engonga

6. Joe Biden

7. Diddy

8. Bonny Mwaitege

9. King Charles

10. Katt Williams

Trending Loss

1. Brian Chira

2. Charles Ouda

3. Rita Tinina

4. Kelvin Kiptum

5. Fred Omondi

6. Allan Kiuna

7. Mr Ibu

8. Njambi Koikai

9. Lizzie Wanyoike

10. Peter Morgan Heritage

Trending Sports

1. AFCON

2. Euro 2024

3. Olympics 2024 Schedule

4. Copa America

5. Paralympics

6. EPL Table 2024/25

7. Ballon d'Or 2024

8. Mikel Merino

9. Lamine Yamal

10. Leny Yoro

Trending Movies & TV Shows

1. Supacell

2. Damsel

3. Shogun

4. The Boys

5. Becky Citizen TV

6. Deadpool

7. Chasing My Rejected Wife

8. Land of Bad

9. The Penguin

10. Dune 2

Trending Lyrics

1. Anguka Nayo Lyrics

2. Kudade Lyrics

3. Hit And Run Shenseea Lyrics

4. Set It Lyrics

5. Mimi Ni Mzabibu Baba Ni Mkulima Lyrics

6. Not Like Us Lyrics

7. Viviano Song Lyrics

8. Nina Siri Naye Yesu Lyrics

9. Ameniweka Huru Kweli Lyrics

10. Maombi Yangu Yafike Kwako Lyrics

Trending ‘What’

1. What is Airbnb

2. What is endometriosis

3. What is Gen Z

4. What is okra water

5. What is Remotask

6. What is a cyclone

7. What is solar eclipse

8. What is the meaning of demure

9. What is graves disease

10. What is femicide

Trending ‘How to’

1. How to check KCSE results 2023

2. How to update token meter

3. How to say “hello” in Italian

4. How to apply for KUCCPS

5. How to register for SHIF

6. How to demonstrate osmosis in living tissues

7. How to become a pro skater

8. How to reverse mpesa sent to wrong number

9. How to play aviator

10. How to hype up your sports team that you support