34 million Kenyans watched deputy presidential debate, report shows

MCK CEO David Omwoyo. [David Gichuru, Standard]

34 million Kenyans watched Tuesday’s deputy presidential debate, a report by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) now shows.

10.2 million Kenyans watched both parts of the debate that began at 5.30 pm to 9.30 pm.

Another 70 per cent, (23.8 million) of Kenyans watched the second debate pitting Azimio la Umoja’s deputy presidential candidate Martha Karua against United Democratic Alliance’s Rigathi Gachagua.

“A paltry five per cent watched the first debate involving Justina Wamae and Ruth Mucheru,” the council said.

MCK in a statement Friday said the survey, covering at least 1,245 respondents was carried out a day after the debate, indicating that 76 per cent of the viewers watched the live debate on TV, 19 per cent on radio, while 3.4 million Kenyans followed the debate on social media.

“While online consumption of media content is increasingly becoming critical, we are cautioning Kenyans to beware of manipulation deliberately pushed by purveyors affiliated to the various political competitors. We noticed a spike in the number of bots participating in online conversations around the debate”, MCK CEO David Omwoyo said.