The 20 Most Influential Female Personalities On Kenyan Social Media

Piece by: Harun Momanyi
Lifestyle

Kenya's social media is extremely vibrant with ongoing conversations; from feuds to landmark success announcements that make our lives interesting. There are the stellar women in Kenya, who have contributed positively to the lives of many Kenyans.

They don’t always post about their latest getaways or new cars. Instead, they are keen on inspiring the younger generation to achieve greater heights as they have. I have brought you the 20 most influential Kenyan female personalities that we all admire. The list is in no particular ranking or order.

1. Lupita Nyong'o

At the time of this publication, Lupita Nyong'o had a Facebook audience of 2.3 million. She's without doubt the most influential Kenyan on social media. Her Instagram followers currently stand at 1.7 million followers while her twitter account has 395K followers. Many young people around Africa look up to her since she has proven that 'all dreams are valid.' She keeps her fans updated about her movie projects, her love for Nairobi blue, ugali and greens, her magazine covers, her endorsement deals as well as her photos with her celebrity friends. You can think of anyone from Divergent Actress Shailene Woodley or Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

2. Caroline Mutoko

Over her decade-long radio career, the bubbly personality has accrued hundreds of thousands of fans. She has held international talks, interviewed great musicians, CEO's, fashion designers and other stellar people from Kenya and around the world. She takes part in various youth mentorship programs. For instance, she's been a judge in the Google Doodle competition and sits on the board of the Keroche Foundation. Her Facebook page has 768K followers - more than any other Kenyan media personality - and her Twitter has 108K plus followers.

3. Julie Gichuru

She's definitely one of the most influential female personalities in Kenya. The award-winning media personality was one of the two Kenyan media personalities that got to interact with U.S. President Barack Obama when he came to Kenya for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. She got to introduce him to the stage amid crazy excitement. Over the past few months, she's met international celebrities - one of them being Will.i.am - and taken a terrific selfie with presidents. She has 508K followers on Twitter, 382K 'likes' on Facebook and 33.5k followers on IG.

4. Anerlisa Muigai

She is the daughter of Keroche Breweries CEO Tabitha Karanja. Her Instagram page is always on fire any moment she posts something. From designer clothing to her dinner pictures, she keeps the conversation going amongst her fans. She has 178K followers on IG.

5. Moipei Quartet

They have truly rubber stamped Kenya on the global art scene. They recently became the first Kenyans to ever perform at an NBA opening and made the cut for the list of the Most Promising Young Women. They have 87K ‘likes’ on Facebook and over 5K followers on Twitter.

6. Lilian Muli

The bubbly Citizen TV news anchor is among the most influential Kenyan media personalities. She has 240K Twitter followers and 265K on Facebook. She’s interviewed top local and international celebrities; from Konsens to Avril. She is beautiful and definitely is a bright star in the media realm.

7. Pastor Kathy Kiuna

Kathy Kiuna is a household name on Kenyan television. She and her husband Bishop Allan Kiuna run the JCC Church in Parklands Nairobi. She has written books, has a TV show on NTV - Woman Without Limits - among other social impact programs. She has 22K Facebook ‘likes’ and over 40K likes on Twitter.

8. Grace Msalame

Grace is undoubtedly one of the sexiest media personalities in Kenya. With an Instagram following of 44K, she’s always sharing her inspirational tidbits with her fans. She’s also big on sharing what her journey as a mom has been. Her professional life is also a benchmark for many guys out there.

9. Janet Mbugua

The recently married top Citizen TV anchor is now venturing into blogging. In March, she debuted her blog “Janet The Journey,” through which she will be sharing tips on personal development. She used to be an introvert until she started gaining interest in issues. That’s what has made her who she is today. She has 162K followers on Twitter and 28K followers on Facebook.

10. Adelle Onyango

The Kiss 100 presenter is one of the most loved Kenyan celebrities. Everytime she is live on Radio, she keeps a lively conversation going. Adelle is also a poet, actress, MC and activist. Her Project 'She' campaign is all about empowering women. She has 67K followers on Twitter, 28K ‘likes’ on Facebook and 42K IG followers.

11. Anne Kiguta

She’s beautiful and hardworking. Anne loves. She recently interviewed Shark Tank’s Daymond John at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit but has done many more high profile interviews before. Her interests include cooking, politics, governance and reading. Anne Kiguta has 16.5K followers on IG and 259K on Twitter.

12. Sharon Mundia

She’s broken the internet before. This happened when she got engaged to her longtime boyfriend, Lonina Leteipan. Her online name 'This Is Ess' is a major online brand here in Kenya. Sharon has won a BAKE award for her fashion and style blogging. Sharon is an inspiration to thousands of young and upcoming bloggers out there. She has 28K ‘likes’ on Facebook, 12.9K followers on Twitter and 81.5K followers on IG.

13. Angela Angwenyi

Angela has had a thriving radio career. From her time at Kiss FM to Nation FM, she has proven that Kenyan women can lead a successful life in this male-dominated industry. She has 24K followers on Twitter, 13K on Facebook and 2K on IG.

14. Sylvia Njoki

She is the official stylist for band Elani, especially during this time when they’re on high demand. The mother of one won the Best Fashion Blogger and Best Blogger (Overall) in this year’s BAKE awards. She’s got a steadily rising following on social media. Her classic photos and catchy website makes her one of the most promising online brands in Kenya. She’s got 25.5 K followers on IG, 5K followers on Facebook and a 4K on Twitter.

15. Muthoni Njoba

Muthoni is a leading make up artiste; one of the best in Kenya. She is the perfect fit for role, as the Maybelline New York Kenya Ambassador. She has done makeup for top Kenyan celebrities; from Anne Kiguta to Eve de Souza. The Oxford Brookes University graduate has 16.1K followers on IG and 13K on Facebook.

16. Edith Kimani

She’s definitely one of the most successful news anchors in current times. The former KTN news anchor is also a CNN Fellow and currently works as a DW News Correspondent. She has 145K followers on Twitter and over 9K followers on IG. Her powerful success story is an inspiration to many.

17. Captain Koki Mutungi

The Kenya Airways pilot is the first African female captain to fly a Dreamliner. That has given her mileage in terms of media coverage and social media presence. She has an outstanding personality; has a lasting and ample online articles about her success story.

18. Victoria Rubadiri

The NTV News anchor is famous for her presentation prowess. She has her own show now; Victoria’s Lounge. The mother of one has grown to become one of the most inspiring media personalities in the country. She has 105K followers on Twitter, 48K on Facebook and over 9K followers on IG.

19. Anita Nderu

The former Teen Republik presenter is one of the most identifiable Kenyan female celebrities. The foodie and music lover is now a Capital FM news reader. She has not stopped being influential and social media. Anita has 25.8K followers on IG, 15K followers on Twitter and 27K ‘likes’ on Facebook.

20. Avril Nyambura

Avril is gorgeous, talented and influential. She has had several brand endorsements in the recent past; from Amref to Oriflame. The “Nikumuona” singer is on Coke Studio Africa Season 3, alongside Nigerian Rapper M.I. Avril has 84K ‘likes’ on Facebook, 123K followers on IG and over 86K followers on Twitter.