Activist-turned-lawyer Morara Kebaso officially declared his presidential ambitions in a fiery live television debate that had sparks flying.
Morara faced off with former Kibiri Ward MCA Kennedy Ondiek during an interview on K24 TV on Friday morning December 6, 2024.
The heated exchange centred on President William Ruto’s administration, with Morara and Ondiek presenting starkly opposing views.
Ondiek, passionately defending Ruto’s tenure, praised initiatives like affordable housing, fertilizer subsidies, and the development of SMEs.
“You can evaluate William Ruto’s presidency based on one completely done budget and the next budget which is in course,” he said.
Highlighting progress in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Ondiek confidently praised Ruto’s scorecard.
“We are talking about CIDCs and Industrial Parks which are being built to ensure that SMEs are going smoothly,” he said.
“In the last two years, President William Ruto has managed to facilitate the acquisition of cheap fertilizers by Kenyans despite a few challenges. The subsidy program for fertilizer is an achievement,” he stated confidently.
But Morara wasn’t having it. Dismissing Ondiek’s claims, he set the stage for a dramatic showdown.
“You know I am running for President, I cannot be arguing with a Member of the County Assembly (MCA),” he shouted at Ondiek.
The former MCA was quick with a biting retort.
“You can’t even run for county assembly,” Ondiek dismissed Morara’s presidential bid.
Morara hit back, visibly irate.
“How can I be arguing with a member of county assembly, a presidential candidate? This is embarrassing. A presidential candidate should not have the time to argue with a former member of county assembly,” he shouted.
As the debate escalated, Ondiek threw more jabs at Morara accusing him of seeking a government job.
“He is looking for a job in government,” he claimed.
“Which job?” Morara countered, defending himself.
“Don’t take me. You took Kasmuel, and now he is flying around in a helicopter,” Morara quipped, adding a dash of humour to the intense argument.
Morara’s presidential ambitions
After the tension cooled, Morara took the opportunity to outline his vision for the 2027 presidential elections.
Positioning himself as a voice for Kenya’s youth, he vowed to avoid tribal politics.
Morara stated that he would only consider forming a political alliance with other leaders if they refrain from playing the tribal card.
“That will depend on what trajectory the politics take because if they are going to team up as kingpins from different tribes, if Gachagua is going to come as the Kikuyu candidate and Kalonzo comes as the Kamba candidate and Matiang’i comes as the Kisii candidate, I will not be part of them because I am not running on the platform of any tribe. I am running on the behalf of young people of Kenya who have given me a responsibility to run for president,” he stated firmly.
He also issued a warning to President Ruto, cautioning him against dismissing his candidacy.
“And President William Ruto should be very careful because he has never run against a young candidate who has never held a public office. So if he is writing me off, he is wrong,” Morara declared boldly.
In the end, the fiery activist-turned-presidential hopeful made his mark, promising to challenge the status quo and shake up Kenya’s political scene.
With the 2027 elections still three years away, Morara Kebaso’s declaration adds yet another layer of intrigue to an already charged political landscape.
Morara had previously urged those who have declared their interest in vying for the presidential seat in the 2027 general elections to reveal where they will get their campaign money.
The Injection of National Justice, Economic, and Civic Transformation (INJECT) party leader, in a statement via his X account on December 1, 2024, noted that those who fund presidential candidates will always control them after winning the elections.
In the spirit of transparency, Kebaso disclosed that Kenyans are the ones funding his campaigns since he has been asking them for donations even though he has been insulted and trolled for it.
“Every presidential candidate should declare where they get their campaign money from. Those who fund you will definitely control you. I Morara Kebaso fund my campaigns by asking for donations from Kenyans. I have been insulted and trolled for it. But I am still here. Let the rest tell us who funds them,” he said.
