Gen Z political activist Morara Kebaso. Photo/
By Wanderi Kamau
In a political climate where youthful voices are increasingly reshaping the national conversation, few have captured the public imagination like Morara Kebaso.
Charismatic, articulate, and unapologetically bold, Kebaso rose to prominence during the historic Gen Z-led protests of June 2024. Amid the fury of tear gas and nationwide calls for accountability, he stood out—not just for his voice, but for the depth of his vision.
His eloquence and fiery passion quickly earned him comparisons to past revolutionary figures, with many branding him as a “generational beacon” for political liberation. Alongside fellow Gen Z activists Hanifa Adan, Mercy Tarus, and Kasmuel Mc’Oure, Kebaso emerged as part of a powerful wave that challenged both the status quo and opposition complicity.
He also formed his political party – INJECT.
Yet as with many young political figures who rise swiftly, questions about authenticity and motives have followed. A particularly heated fallout with Mercy Tarus over the phrase “Kenya ni Home” highlighted early fractures within the Gen Z movement. That clash would only be the beginning of a series of disputes that have dogged Kebaso’s political journey.
His public confrontation with exiled lawyer and activist Miguna Miguna drew mixed reactions, with some accusing him of disrespecting seasoned voices in the struggle, while others hailed him for challenging egoistic, outdated ideologies.
From revolution to realpolitik
Despite—or perhaps because of—these controversies, Kebaso soon found himself courted by established opposition leaders. He later aligned with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s opposition coalition, which included seasoned politicians such as Martha Karua (People’s Liberation Party), Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-Kenya), and Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper Party). It was a move that many analysts interpreted as a pragmatic step into formal politics.
But the alliance was short-lived. Kebaso publicly severed ties with the grouping, branding it a “tribal alliance lacking ideological clarity.”
“This coalition is a mosaic of past failures,” he declared in one of his widely circulated video statements. “We cannot replace a rotten regime with another gang of recycled elites. That’s not change; it’s deception.”
Read more:ODPP releases update on Gen Z protest files
His series Vampire Diaries, a hard-hitting digital exposé chronicling embezzled funds from stalled multibillion-shilling government projects, further cemented his reputation as a fearless whistleblower. Yet the abrupt suspension of the series raised eyebrows. Critics questioned whether external pressure—or internal compromises—may have influenced the decision.
Political analyst Beatrice Nyambura observes: “Morara has played both the outsider and the insider. He speaks like a revolutionary but has occasionally danced too close to the establishment. That contradiction has left Kenyans unsure whether he is the real deal—or a very clever distraction.”
The Karua clash and growing suspicion
The tension reached a new peak on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, when Kebaso clashed with Martha Karua during a meeting between the Gachagua-led faction and former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i. Kebaso’s searing critique of the coalition sent shockwaves across social media and political circles.
“Is this what Gen Zs died for? Is this the future we wanted?” Kebaso asked in a scathing post. “So, we are removing Ruto to replace him with a former corrupt tribal deputy president, a former corrupt CS who presided over the killing of Kenyans throwing them in rivers, a former corrupt CS who has held four cabinet positions and never changed anything, and a former corrupt fake fertilizer CS who was charged with rape in a court of law.
This is unity without vision, unity without purpose. I urge all the young people of Kenya to reject this coalition of tumbocrats and projects funded by the guy who stole 6 trillion from this nation. Let all young leaders come together and chart a new path for Kenya. I am ready to sit down with progressive leaders who lack the experience of theft.”
Karua hit back just as forcefully: “Kasongo [Ruto] ordered the Gen Z to be killed in order to remain in power. The focus should be bringing him and his accomplices to account. Any other discussions that deviate from this topic are state-sponsored diversion tactics from #bloodparliament.”
Read more: The 2027 ‘Dream Team’: Why Ruto is in trouble
It is this retort from Karua that has triggered an avalanche of speculation. Could Kebaso be a state-sponsored project designed to fracture the Gen Z vote ahead of the 2027 general election?
Kebaso has vehemently denied the allegation.
“I am not anyone’s puppet,” he said in a recent TikTok live session. “Those trying to discredit me are the same ones who failed to deliver when they had the power. If fighting both the government and the corrupt opposition makes me a ‘project,’ then maybe Kenya needs more projects like me.”
But not everyone is convinced.
Political strategist Kennedy Wekesa believes the truth may lie somewhere in between. “Kebaso is a brilliant communicator and a strategic thinker,” Wekesa said. “But Kenyan politics is full of manipulation. It’s entirely possible that powerful interests see in him a useful tool—whether or not he’s aware of it. If he’s not careful, he could be co-opted, even against his will.”
For now, Morara Kebaso remains an enigma: part activist, part political insurgent, and perhaps even part cautionary tale. As Kenya lurches toward 2027, the stakes for the Gen Z movement—and for Kebaso’s own legacy—could not be higher.
The question still lingers: Is Morara Kebaso a Trojan horse—or the vanguard of a truly new political order?
Only time, and the vigilance of the public, will tell.
1 thought on “Morara Kebaso: State ‘project’ or Gen Z champion?”
Comments are closed.