It may have felt like 2023 was one of the most challenging years in the last decade due to economic hardships but there were occasional funny moments that kept the online community talking.
Here is a round-up of the funniest moments of 2023 in no particular order.
1. Ruto's near fall at tree planting event
A video of President William Ruto tripping and nearly falling while planting a tree at the Kiu Wetland in Makueni County sparked a surge of memes on social media in November.
The Head of State had joined Makueni residents for the National Tree Planting Day on November 13 when he accidentally stepped into the hole which was dug and full of mud, slipping and nearly falling flat onto the ground.
The President's bodyguards dashed to hold him, but he hilariously told them to leave him alone as he regained his balance.
The video capturing the unforeseen incident was widely shared on social media with a section of netizens joking about it, while others expressed concerns over the Commander-in-Chief's safety.
President Ruto almost gave us a complete Meme 🤣🤣🤣 . Labda ata mti ilivunjika . pic.twitter.com/h6r1yxq4w9— Andy (@AndyKe_) November 13, 2023
2. Kitawaramba craze
Kitawaramba, a phrase uttered by controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie on April 25, 2023, has been widely used to capture serious situations comically over the last eight months.
Mackenzie used the slang word while sending a warning to anyone involved in a campaign to jail him over the deaths of more than 400 people in the infamous Shakahola cult.
The preacher had been arrested over allegations of leading a starvation doomsday cult at Shakahola forest in Kilifi County when he warned the police and other members of the public of dire consequences.
"Mnachopigana nacho hamkijui na kitawaramba, kitawaramba nawaambia," he said.
The word, however, quickly took a life of its own with Kenyans now using it in their everyday conversations including mocking the Kenya Kwanza administration led by President William Ruto over unfulfilled promises and generating sports-related memes.
The Kenyan slang also made it to the list of Associated Press (AP) Word of the Year list.
Other words that made it to the list are 'rizz', 'AI' and 'Bwa Kale'.
3. Kaveve Kazoze hit song
Kaveve Kazoze, a hit song by Spider Clan, became an internet sensation in May with its relatable lyrics that sent social media into a frenzy, spawning popular refrains at nightclubs.
The Naivasha-based Gengetone artistes led by Mary Wangeci, popularly known as Ngesh Bad Gal, became famous overnight after releasing an official video of the rap song also widely known as 'Cash Crop Za Nyandarua Ni Mawaru'.
The song also became some sort of a meme as it was shared widely across platforms popular with young people such as TikTok.
It attracted the attention of some politicians including former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and nominated senator Karen Nyamu who pledged to support the group in their music journey.
The song has garnered more than four million views on YouTube.
4. Eric Omondi giant shoes
Eric Omondi is arguably the greatest comedian of our time. The multi-talented thespian has stood the test of time in the digital age as he keeps reinventing himself.
He created a social media buzz in July after stepping out in giant customised shoes weighing about 16 kilograms during his trip to Tanzania.
Omondi told YouTuber Mungai Eve that the unconventional shoes cost him a whopping Ksh58,000.
"The shoes were made by a man called Obare in Kibera. It cost Ksh58K it took a week to make, it has two shoes in one, kuna kiatu imeweka ndani akastick," he revealed.
The funny man claimed that he chose to wear the big shoes because no one could fit in his shoes.
He later revealed intentions to auction the shoes in a bid to support rapper Stevo Simple Boy financially after the musician's wife claimed that he was flat broke.
5. Ruto recalls moment Ex-CS Tobiko called him a clerk
President Wiliam Ruto on April 23 had the congregation at Friends Quakers Sanctuary in stitches when he recalled the moment he was ridiculed by a former Cabinet Secretary while serving as Deputy President.
The Head of State, who presided over the opening of the new church in Donholm, Nairobi, said he was glad to learn that the head of the church is called a 'Presiding Clerk', a tag he was given by former Environment CS Keriako Tobiko at the height of his fallout with President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2020.
Ruto also said he felt comfortable in the church because he had something in common with the founder of the church, who he described as a "hustler" due to his humble beginnings.
"Nimefurahi sana kufika hapa na niliuliza ndugu yangu Musalia (Musalia Mudavadi) historia ya kanisa ya Quakers akaniambia ilianzishwa kule Marekani na hustler mmoja — mtu wa chini. Aliniambai ni mtu tu alikuwa reja reja kama mimi hivi ndiye alianzisha hili kanisa.
"Ingawaje sina uhusiano na kanisa hii kama mfuasi lakini uhusiano wangu na kanisa hili ni kwamba nimegundua kiongozi was kanisa anaitwa presiding clerk na mimi vile vile nilipatiwa jina hilo hilo la clerk na jamaa mwingine siku ingine. Ile tu alikosea hakunipatia presiding lakini mungu naye ametimiza huyu ni presiding clerk wa kanisa na mimi ni presiding clerk wa Kenya," Ruto said eliciting peals of laughter from the crowd.
The video of Ruto's speech later went viral on social media sparking an hilarious conversation on Ruto's long journey to State House.
