Table of Contents
- In the realm of social media, some of the most followed individuals are athletes
- Many of the athletes post about their performances on the pitch
- Others use the opportunity to showcase their personal life while some advertise for brands, making thousands if not millions of dollars
Who are the most followed East Africa athletes? In the realm of social media, some of the most followed individuals are athletes. From popular athletic heroes to football stars, these athletes share their passion with fans on various social media pages.
Many of the athletes post about their performances on the pitch. However, others use the opportunity to showcase their personal life while some advertise for brands, making thousands if not millions of dollars.
With that short introduction, let’s take a look at the most followed East Africa athletes. This post only talks about their numbers on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
1. Eliud Kipchoge
Facebook – 1.1 million followers
Instagram – 3 million followers
X – 539.3k followers
Eliud Kipchoge. Photo/ Africa News.
Eliud Kipchoge is one of the athletes who have put Kenya’s name on the global stage. Kipchoge is a long-distance runner who competes in the marathon. He won the 2016 and 2020 Olympic marathon and was the record holder in marathon until fellow countryman Kelvin Kiptum beat his time at the 2024 Chicago Marathon.
In 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta awarded Kipchoge with Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart for his outstanding performance. The Rift Valley province native is still going strong at 40 and finished sixth at the London Marathon in April this year.
Kipchoge’s exploits have earned him a significant number of followers on all social media platform. As of June 2025, he is the most followed East African athlete with 1.1 million followers on Facebook, 3 million followers on Instagram and over 539k followers on X.
2. Michael Olunga
Facebook – 1.7 million followers
Instagram – 209k followers
X – 126.1k followers
Michael Olunga. Photo/ TV47 Digital.
Michael Olunga Ogada has been the face of Kenya in the past few years as far as football is concerned. The 6 ft 4 in plays as a striker and has showed his goalscoring prowess across various leagues in Sweden, China, Spain, Japan and Qatar.
Olunga, who played for Girona in Spain, made history when he became the first Kenyan to score a hat-trick in La Liga. The Harambee Stars captain most recently played for Al-Duhail for Qatar Stars League and is currently a free agent. He is among the most followed East Africa athletes with 1.7 million followers on Facebook, 209K on Instagram and over 126k on X.
3. Mbwana Samatta
Facebook – 1 million followers
Instagram – 2.6 million followers
X – 124.5k followers
Mbwana Ally Samatta is the only Tanzanian who has played in the English Premier League. He had a short spell with Aston Villa in 2020 after a dazzling performance at Belgian club Racing Genk. He joined Turkish side Fenerbahce in the summer of 2020 and had loan spells at Royal Antwerp and his former club Genk before joining PAOK on a permanent transfer in 2023.
Samatta plays as a forward and captains the Tanzania national team. Considering his career achievements, it’s not surprising that he ranks among the most followed East Africa athletes.
Mbwana Samatta. Photo/ nairobinews.nation.africa.
4. Khalid Aucho
Facebook – 683k followers
Instagram – 776k followers
X – 114.9k followers
Khalid Aucho is a Ugandan footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder and captains the Uganda national team at international level. He is currently signed to Tanzanian club Young Africans.
Aucho has played across various leagues in East Africa and beyond, including the Kenyan Premier League for Gor Mahia, Serbian league for Red Star Belgrade and OFK Beograd, and Indian Super League for East Bangal.
5. Ferdinand Omanyala
Facebook – 410k followers
Instagram – 372k followers
X – 111.9k followers
Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala is widely known as Africa’s fastest man due to his 100m record of 9.77 seconds, which is also ninth in history. The 29-year-old boasts major victories at the African Championships and Commonwealth Games. With his achievements on track, Omanyala has garnered a huge number of fans on his social media platforms.
Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala. Photo/ Capital News.
6. Emmanuel Okwi
Facebook – 302k followers
Instagram – 533k followers
Emmanuel Arnold Okwi is a household name in Ugandan football. The 32-year-old plays as a winger and has played for various clubs in Africa, including Simba, SC Villa, Young Africans and Al Ittihad. He has been playing for AS Kigali of Rwanda since 2024.
