Raila Odinga & Faith Kipyegon top list of what Kenya searched for on Google in 2025

Google has unveiled its annual Year in Search 2025 lists for Kenya, painting a picture of a nation preoccupied with high-stakes politics, unifying sports narratives, and a continuous search for deeper meaning.

Leading the charts were veteran politician Raila Odinga, Olympic sensation Faith Kipyegon, the mystery of the ‘Enigma Meaning,’ and the ongoing public debate surrounding the new healthcare institution, Social Health Authority (SHA).

The political sphere remained the most compelling source of search traffic in 2025. Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga dominated the public figures list and ranked highly in news searches. His influence was uniquely demonstrated by the country’s top search query in the ‘meaning’ category: “enigma meaning.” This term, long associated with his complex political style, shows a populace seeking to formally define his role.

Coupled with political figures was the public’s focused interest in national policy. The Social Health Authority (SHA) was the third most trending news item, highlighting widespread efforts to understand the new healthcare system.

When it came to news, nothing captured Kenyan attention like major sports events. The African Nations Championship (CHAN) was the country’s top trending news item of the year, underscoring the deep national love for football.

In individual excellence, distance runner Faith Kipyegon emerged as the most searched Kenyan personality, a testament to her continued global dominance. Football, however, held a global sway, with rising Slovenian star Benjamin Šeško topping the list of trending sports personalities. The public also paid close attention to global football figures, including the searches for the late Portuguese player Diogo Jota.

Kenyans used the search engine as a universal decoder for both cultural and spiritual concepts. The intense interest in global religious events resulted in a surge for terms like conclave, habemus, and papam, alongside the question “Who is the new pope?”

The search for local meaning was equally strong, with Kenyans looking up the definitions of local terms like jowi, kubant, saba saba, demure, and wantam. Furthermore, global geopolitical anxieties were reflected in trending questions like “What is happening in Sudan?” and “What is happening in Congo?”

The kitchen reflected a nation balancing health and indulgence. The “ginger shots recipe” was the top trending culinary search, signalling a widespread adoption of wellness trends and home remedies. This health focus was balanced by searches for classic comfort foods such as chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon rolls, mini pizzas, and the Italian classic, osso buco.

Kenya’s music tastes demonstrated a fluid blend of past and present. The most searched lyrics of the year belonged to the nostalgic Harry Belafonte classic, “Jamaica Farewell,” which also topped the trending songs list. Yet, contemporary hits like Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” and regional anthems like Mbosso’s “Pawa” were close behind, shaping the diverse soundscape of 2025.

Top 10 Trending Searches by Kenyans in 2025

For a complete breakdown of all the trending topics in Kenya in 2025, go HERE