Dear Nation, Abortion is Not The Most Searched Topic in Kenya on Google Zeitgeist 2012

I somehow did not want to write about what people searched for  on Google during the year, also known as Google Zeitgeist but then I saw what Nation was reporting on their website.  If you have read the article about the Google list through Nation website then You would think that the most searched for information in Kenya this year is “How to Abort”… well that is not quite true. Yes abortion featured prominently especially if you take the phrase “How to” on its own but not in the  top ten of the overall most searched words or phrases. But according to Nation

The Google Zeitgeist 2012 report released on Thursday says this was the most searched topic in the last 12 months in the country.

The Google Zeitgeist 2012 list is divided into sections, first with the overall Trending Search. Trending is the Search queries with the highest amount of traffic over a sustained period in 2012 as compared to 2011. Below are what people were looking for in 2012:

1. IEBC
2. Facebook
3. Whitney Houston
4. Tubidy
5. Euro 2012
6. Daily Post
7. GHRIS
8. ICC
9. Njenga Karume
10. Miguna Miguna

Yes, it would be strange if “How to Abort” is the most looked for phrase on the internet but just to set the record straight it was not.

On the list, IEBC taking the top position is not a surprise following the intense scrutiny from the public all year long. First when they were to decide the Election Date, then the BVR kits saga and finally the registration of voters. I Expect the IEBC to continue to be on people’s lips up to the time of the elections next year.

Facebook is one of the most popular websites in Kenya. According to Alexa.com, Facebook is ranked first ahead of Google. I am curious to know  why are people searching for Facebook. Are they looking for the link to the website or to know about it? May be people are able to remember Google Url but can’t remember Facebook.com

The third spot was taken by the late popular singer Whitney Houston. She had a great voice and that will live with many people for a long time.

Until I saw this list I had no idea what  Tubidy is… Well, Tubidy indexes videos from internet and lined  them to be played on the user’s mobile phone. No surprise there, videos and music are very popular with the Kenyan youth.

Euro 2012 came fifth. As always people like football and sports in general in Kenya. The pattern is simple, Google, read and then tweet your thoughts.

In the course of the year, many people have asked if I know who runs Daily Post. The site has risen to be among the most popular and controversial  blogs in Kenya. On top of talking about politics, personal gossips like who is sleeping with who appear on the site regularly. The Kenyans love for politics and gossips  explains why Daily Post is in top six of the Google  list.

At number seven is GHRIS.. In long..Government Human Resource Information System (GHRIS) Portal .The portal is to help Government address all its Human Resource (HR) needs. In other words there are Jobs there. Looking for public job visit ghris.go.ke.

Nothing divides the Kenyan public more than ICC at the moment.. It is another issue which will be around for sometime as the trials for the Kenya ICC suspects start in April next year. It has also become an election issue in Kenya and a dangerous one for that matter..

Finally Njenga Karume and Miguna Miguna completes the List. The late Njnga Karume died early this year while Miguna Miguna became the online entertainer in chief after writing a tell all book about his former boss PM Raila Odinga