The Genius of Morara Kebaso: Tom Mboya Reincarnated?

Morara Kebaso, a young Kenyan businessman has been making waves in the political scene by conducting mass civic education about corruption in the current regime. He has been going around the country and uncovering the looting behind stalled government projects that were commissioned by President Ruto.

In his social media series ‘The Vampire Diaries’ Morara has been showing the neglected projects, some of which have been unveiled twice by President Ruto, in efforts to uncover the rampant corruption in his government. In this article, we analyze the genius of Morara Kebaso’s approach and ask whether he is Tom Mboya reincarnated.

Who is Morara Kebaso?

Morara Kebaso is a 28-year-old furniture shop franchise owner, a certified lawyer, and a Gen Z activist. He has been trending for most of the last few weeks, topping it up with his TV interview on Citizen TV’s JKL Live yesterday.

Morara has been on a mission to conduct civic education, particularly on the rampant corruption characteristic of the William Ruto regime.

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Morara, a Gen Z, came to the limelight in the recent Gen Z Protests in Kenya and despite the protests cooling off, he has unilaterally gone on to audit the Ruto regime’s development projects, pointing out its failings in his social media accounts (@morarakebasosnr).

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Morara Kebaso initially went viral when he did an imitation of the President’s political rallies, where Ruto, in his ‘Kaunda’ suit, addresses his followers hoisted up in his guzzler’s sunroof.

Morara Kebaso’s JKL Live Interview: Morara Calls Out President Ruto for Being “a Liar”

During his interview yesterday on Citizen TV’s JKL Live, Morara shared part of his biography saying that he studied law, as he comes from a family of lawyers, but instead opted to go into the furniture business—after trying out numerous professions.

Morara Kebaso: We just have a President that lies, he cannot escape any opportunity to lie to Kenyans. He just can’t help it. The President’s word should be valuable and mean something to the people of Kenya#JKLive @KoinangeJeff pic.twitter.com/nxKdvxlaEh

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 28, 2024

Morara shared that his ‘talking truth to power’ started while he was still in school, with his speaking out leading him to be suspended in high school and even expelled from the university. Morara was a student leader at Kenyatta University.

Morara Kebaso Snr has been Consistent!pic.twitter.com/ysThc5KH4o

— Omwamba (@omwambaKE) August 28, 2024

He shared that his efforts to hold the university’s administration accountable led to his suspension before he resumed his studies and completed his Law Degree.

Morara Kebaso: I was expelled from High School for doing this same thing that I am doing. I got involved in student activism and had a confrontation with the administration about how much power the prefects held. I eventually joined another school and ended up scoring an A… pic.twitter.com/G8Hxy9yo96

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 28, 2024

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Morara Kebaso also shared his family background where he said that his great grandfather, and grandfather, George Julius Morara had been assassinated for questioning the Jomo Kenyatta regime’s assassination of Tom Mboya.

Morara Kebaso: I come from a family of real warriors of this nation. My great grandfather John Kebaso was the first Senator of Kisii in the Majimbo system and my late grandfather George Morara was the MP West Mugirango. Unfortunately, both of them lost their lives in… pic.twitter.com/T23pKAwk7i

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 28, 2024

Tom Mboya was a Kenyan freedom fighter and astute politician, considered by many Kenya’s most revered political genius.

He was assassinated in the late 60s, due to political differences with the Kenyatta regime—as he was seen to be so popular that he posed a political threat to the country’s leadership. Effectively, Tom Mboya could have easily become Kenya’s president but the regime then, decided to off him.

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Morara’s grandfather, George Julius Morara, was later assassinated when he questioned the government’s actions against Tom Mboya. Kebaso shared that his grandfather discovered that Tom Mboya’s killer, who the then regime had said was hanged, had been relocated to Zambia.

“I want to assure you, Mr. President, that the silence you feel today is not peace, but the silence before a storm.” – Morara Kebaso to President William Ruto

Kebaso says that his grandfather met the man, previously thought to be dead, in a refreshment joint in Zambia “taking alcohol“. That’s when he [George] came back to the country and demanded justice for Tom Mboya. He was then a District Officer, DO a provincial head. Before the 2010 constitution, Kenya was comprised of 8 provinces.

Morara Kebaso: I Received a Call from President Ruto and He Offered Me a Government Job

During the JKL interview, Morara Kebaso also revealed that he had received a phone call from President Ruto, and was offered a government job. In his words, he said that he was told “Serikali ni kubwa” which translates that the government is large and that they could find him a spot in it.

Morara says that the call, including other calls from Ruto’s aides, was to urge him to end his civic education and his activities exposing the regime’s failure to deliver on its promises. He, however, declined to share more on his phone call with President Ruto.

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The Kenyan taxpayer has been losing billions of Kenyan shillings in stalled government projects, reveals Kebaso, in his ‘Vampire Diaries’ social media series.

Most of the projects that the president commissions, Kebaso says, are never intended to reach completion and are only commissioned for show.

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Morara, speaking in the interview, called President Ruto out for being “a liar”, saying that his government has paid billions to contractors for projects that have never been finished, with some having never even started at all.

Morara Kebaso: This country has been looted dry and continues to experience incompetence in leadership. We need to make better choices in our leadership because the quality of our leaders comes from the quality of the electorate #JKLive @KoinangeJeff pic.twitter.com/SA2VOerjB0

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 28, 2024

Morara highlighted a number of these projects, including one where the government paid over 200 million Kenya Shillings to a contractor, as “interest for late payment.”

Thwake Dam. Allocated 36.9 BILLION. Contractor was paid an extra 236 Million as interest for late payment. PENDING BILLS IS A SCAM. A pipe to loot public funds. pic.twitter.com/75XPDXjahK

— Morara Kebaso Snr (@MoraraKebasoSnr) August 27, 2024

State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed Intervenes

Morara’s revelations seemed to reach State House Nairobi, with the State House spokesperson, Hussein Mohamed phoning in—to the interview—to intervene. Hussein urged Morara to be “truthful” and called out the show’s host, Jeff Koinange, and the station, Citizen TV saying that they should not let “anyone come on the show and tell lies“.

Hussein Mohamed demanded that Morara substantiate his claim that President Ruto called him, in a move that many saw as his attempt to divert attention from the key issue being discussed—government looting via stalled and incomplete development projects.

Hussein Mohamed: A lot of Kenyans have the President’s number by the way. Let Morara substantiate that the President called him. He is lying, he is running away from the question. Will you allow anybody in Kenya to just walk into your studios and say he was called by the… pic.twitter.com/caJCtlR9Zl

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 28, 2024

In reply, Morara showed Jeff Koinange the president’s phone number, with Hussein Mohamed replying that “many people have the President’s number.”

Hussein Mohamed: No such thing happened, let him substantiate it. Morara and any other Kenyan can hold the government accountable but do it truthfully. The President did not call him, I work for the President #JKLive @KoinangeJeff pic.twitter.com/lGfB7Y6ni3

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 28, 2024

Hussein then went on to sarcastically say “we [State House] love what you do, holding the government accountable but urge you to remain truthful”.

Hussein Mohamed: What Morara and many Kenyans are doing is good, it is part of accountability and the President welcomes it, that is what democracy is all about #JKLive @KoinangeJeff pic.twitter.com/et3izYEFtf

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 28, 2024

Morara didn’t dwell too much on the president’s call and said that he would retrieve his call records given time and a chance for another interview another day.

He urged the host to not dwell on the issue, instead choosing to focus on rampant corruption in the Ruto administration.

“The People Sponsor Me”: Morara Kebaso in JKL Live Interview

Morara Kebaso also received a question from the audience via X, on whether he is sponsored, and if so, who sponsors him. “The people sponsor me”, he replied, pointing out that Kenyans, both those residing within the country and abroad, have been sending him some money to help [him] “fuel my car and pay my research assistant” as he goes around the country revealing the regime’s corrupt tendencies. Morara also shared that he has been also crowdsourcing knowledge on stalled government projects, urging his followers to visit government project sites, and document progress, if any, and share it with him.

Morara Kebaso On Vying For a Political Seat: Kenya Has “Commercialized Politics”

Asked whether he would vie for political office, Morara said that “we [Kenya] have commercialized politics” saying that it incentivizes those who get into political power to embezzle public funds to recoup their campaign spending. Morara, however, said that if the people were to crowdfund for his campaign, he would vie for President and challenge William Ruto in an election. “We would have a hell of a time”, he added, expressing optimism that he would be a formidable presidential opponent to the president.

Morara Kebaso: We have commercialized our politics and allowed politicians to steal. They are the ones with the highest amount of money to run for an election. If I have enough money to run against the President, I will do it#JKLive @KoinangeJeff pic.twitter.com/Mwbh37XZE4

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 28, 2024

I Am “The Leader of Opposition” – Morara On Citizen TV

Morara also said that he is “the leader of [the] opposition”, calling out the opposition party, ODM’s recent entry into government. “They have joined the executive”, Morara lamented, saying that despite the Gen Z protests—being a push for better governance and pushing the president to dissolve his cabinet—Ruto had reinstated half of the cabinet and joined with ODM, in what he [Ruto] calls a “broad-based” government. Consequently, Morara said that he is now the leader of opposition and will not stop holding the government accountable reiterating, “We need change”.

Morara Kebaso: As the leader of opposition, my job is not to praise the government. Mine is to ensure that the government is doing its job #JKLive @KoinangeJeff pic.twitter.com/74zhL0W771

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 28, 2024

Morara also said that his courage comes from “my love for my country” and also out of “disappointment with how it is being governed“.

Morara Kebaso: What drives my courage is my love for this nation and my disappointment in how it is governed. We need to take back our country#JKLive @KoinangeJeff pic.twitter.com/h4OK4h8cL9

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 28, 2024

Morara Kebaso on His Safety: “God Will Protect Me“

Asked about whether he is worried for his safety, Kebaso said that “God will protect me like he protected King David when he was being pursued by King Saul” because “I believe He has a great future for me”. Morara shared that, “I understand my wife, my lawyers, my parents, and my aunts and uncles are worried about me, but they know me and they know I must do this.”

Recent Gen Z Protests in Kenya have led to numerous abductions by suspected rogue police units—covered in masks and using unmarked vehicles. Asked how he manages to evade abduction, Morara said that he manages to stay safe by “being random”, adding that “if they [rogue police] are waiting for me outside, I will be sorry to disappoint them”.

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Nonetheless, he acknowledged the power of the state, saying that if they pursued someone, they would catch him. He, however, shared optimism that in the current state of affairs, it was unlikely that the Ruto regime would go that way; implying that his popularity and support from the people would make it difficult for the regime to harm him as it would be all too clear, it is the government who’s done it.

Morara Kebaso: I have decided to be safe. It is a decision you make because protection comes from God. I also take precaution as I should #JKLive @KoinangeJeff pic.twitter.com/TJ1rFwFhyO

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 28, 2024

He also shared that, recently, he’s had incidences when his phone has been “tracked“, with “vehicles with untraceable number plates” hanging around his house.

Morara Kebaso: If I worry too much I will not do what I am doing. What I am doing is extremely risky. I have had incidences where my phone is tracked and vehicles with untraceable number plates hanging around my home#JKLive @KoinangeJeff pic.twitter.com/VUMfkJsoVd

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 28, 2024

Morara Kebaso to President Ruto: “Money Cannot Do Anything More For You”

While the interview was winding up, Morara called out President Ruto for being “corrupt” saying, “A fish rots from the head”. Morara pointed out that Ruto has a 900-acre ranch in Kilgoris, complete with “an airstrip where he lands“, yet his next-door neighbor doesn’t even have electricity. “I have been there… and even the next-door neighbor has not been reached by the last-mile [electricity] project”, Morara said. The project was the previous regime’s flagship project to ensure countrywide electricity connectivity, providing household connection to the grid, for little to no charges.

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Morara capped the interview with a powerful message to President Ruto telling him that “money cannot do anything more for you” urging Ruto to stop the corruption in his government and stop being corrupt himself.

Morara Kebaso: To our President, you are already a billionaire, there is nothing more that money can do for you. You need to remember that you are leading people not graves, care about us #JKLive @KoinangeJeff pic.twitter.com/s9Nta8GbbF

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 28, 2024

Morara shared that “it’s hard for politicians not to be corrupt if the president is corrupt”, saying that a corrupt president encourages other government officials to be corrupt as it indirectly “gives them permission to steal [from taxpayers] if the president is stealing”.

Morara Kebaso: I am so sad that they have an honest man lying for them. Out of respect, I said will not disclose the contents of my conversation with the President. As long as we have a corrupt president, we cannot have a country that will end corruption #JKLive @KoinangeJeff pic.twitter.com/qFrkCHooau

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 28, 2024

“The President’s Words Should Stand for Something” – Morara Kebaso to Ruto

Morara also called out Ruto for being “a liar”, urging him that he should do right by the people of Kenya or resign—shortly after calling him a “one-term president”. Morara also told Ruto that “the president’s words should stand for something” saying that Ruto should “stop lying to the people” and deliver on his campaign promises. Morara then ended the interview with a powerful message saying, “I want to assure you, Mr. President, that the silence you feel today is not peace, but the silence before a storm.”

This message needs to be televised.

Printed on banners and posters.

Made a Radio Anthem.

And Retweeted a million times until it gets to Ruto and every politician in this country.#JKLive Jeff Koinange #FreeAoko Hussein Mohammed Morara pic.twitter.com/22MpfqGoxP

— Okiya Omtatah Okoiti (@RealOmtatah) August 29, 2024

The Genius of Morara Kebaso: Is Morara Tom Mboya Reincarnated?

In many ways, Morara Kebaso can only be likened to political geniuses such as Tom Mboya. First, he is well-educated being a certified lawyer. His eloquence in articulating issues makes him a very good orator and he is able to air out his views in a manner that is easy to understand and relate to. That is why his videos have been doing so well.

Second, like Tom Mboya, Morara is a ‘politician‘ who is so relatable that they do not come across as a typical self-interested politician. Yes, I do think to some extent that Morara is a politician but his genius is being so relatable, eloquent, and courageous to the point that the people feel he is keener to represent their interests than his own.

Third, Morara has that spark, or what some may call ‘charm’. He knows how to fire up an audience and persuade them that his cause is their cause, and their cause is his cause. This particular trait is what made Tom Mboya such a threat to the powers that be back then. He was able to speak in the local villages, as well as in international summits, with such charm that both audiences would get his message and relate it so deeply that they couldn’t help but support his cause.

Fourth, Morara, unlike Tom Mboya, has the advantage of digital technology. He himself acknowledged this saying that when the Gen Zs took to the streets to protest, they were met with “bullets and grenades”. He, however, urged every Gen Z to use “technology,… and their knowledge and skills in digital technology” to “access information“, partly suggesting that techies should retrieve info, even if it is “in a government website”. Morara reiterated that “this war [the uprising against the Ruto regime] will be won with digital technology” i.e., in the digital space.

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Fifth, Morara Kebaso is self-made. At just 28, Morara drives a very nice car, is married, has a few furniture shops spread across major towns in the country, and is well-educated. In politics, people will often support leaders who they know can do well to better the country’s economy—leaders they regard as being ‘economists’. The best indication of being a good money manager is the person’s own wealth. As such, Morara, like Tom Mboya before him, has a lot to gain politically from being a self-made man.

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Last and most importantly, Morara Kebaso is beating Ruto at his own game, with his own failings. Unlike other political leaders, including the emasculated opposition parties, Morara found an ingenious way to beat Ruto in his own game: the politics of opinion and perception. Ruto has always been very sharp at creating the perception of being a staunch-Christian, and a god-fearing leader, who is very much ‘born again’. Morara is not only all of these things, but is exposing Ruto for being neither, by showing—using technology and particularly social media—that indeed William Ruto is corrupt, a liar, and out to only enrich himself through power.

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Doing so, beats Ruto in his most priced tools of exercising power: perception and image, while also creating the opinion—in people’s minds—that he [Ruto] is a liar. Morara even revealed that Ruto’s government paid over a million Kenya Shillings to a contractor to “erect goal posts”.

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By deconstructing the perception that President Ruto has created for himself—and which garnered him sympathy votes in the 2022 general elections—Morara emerges as the foremost and highly-indomitable political genius of the current political scene in the country.

As if that is not enough, his going ahead to create the opinion that Ruto is a liar not only cements the play but also triggers Ruto’s ire—effectively baiting him to go on a campaign to prove himself as a truthful president. As Ruto does this, however, he ends up exposing himself even more, working to only prove Morara Kebaso and the entire 30 million-plus Kenyan youth right, that he is and was only ever just another thieving, self-enriching tyrant.

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