DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua attracted massive online viewership as votes were counted in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, after streaming a live feed showing real-time vote tallying from polling stations across the constituency.
On his official Facebook page, Gachagua consistently drew more than 13,000 live viewers, with the audience peaking at over 15,000 during the tallying.
By 7:50 pm EAT, the livestream had generated more than 48,000 reactions, 27,000 comments and over 6,400 shares on the Meta-owned platform.
Most of the comments targeted the rival UDA camp, which fielded Samuel Muchina against Sammy Douglas Kamau of Gachagua's Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).
Besides Facebook, Gachagua also streamed the vote count on TikTok, where he maintained more than 2,300 live viewers throughout the exercise.
The former deputy president has more than 234,000 followers on TikTok and over 1.3 million followers on Facebook.
Keep Reading
While the counting drew heavy online traction, the physical voting during the day was marked by high voter turnout and calm morning hours that deteriorated into chaotic clashes.
Armed and hooded men travelling in unmarked SUVs patrolled the constituency, throwing tear gas canisters to disperse crowds outside key polling centres like the AC Primary School.
The masked groups also assaulted several journalists and confiscated cameras as tensions boiled over in the afternoon.
But Gachagua's strong social media presence during the closely watched by-election appears to have gained momentum during the burial of the late Ol Kalou MP David Kiaraho.
At the funeral, Gachagua drew significant online attention during the requiem mass despite initially being left out of the list of speakers.
By 1:19 pm on April 8, a livestream on President William Ruto's official Facebook page had attracted about 11,000 viewers, while Gachagua's parallel broadcast had drawn roughly 21,000.
The competing livestreams highlighted the growing political battle for online influence ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Tensions briefly flared during the requiem when Assistant Director of Protocol and Events in the Executive Office of the President, Chipukeezy, was seen clashing with Gachagua's media team.
Further drama unfolded when members of the opposition were temporarily blocked from accessing the main dais. In a widely shared video, Nyandarua Senator John Methu and Embakasi Central MP Major Donk were initially denied entry before eventually being allowed in.
The events were widely seen as setting the stage for one of Kenya's most closely watched by-elections, particularly following Gachagua's ouster from the Kenya Kwanza administration.