Social media activist and entrepreneur Morara Kebaso has taken a bold step to restore his image by offering to refund money donated to him by Kenyans during his rise to online fame. Once celebrated for his fiery voice in the Gen Z-led movement against President William Ruto’s administration, Morara is now confronting a tide of criticism, and he says he’s had enough.
Why Is Morara Kebaso Refunding M-Pesa Donations?
On Friday, Morara resurfaced on X (formerly Twitter), asking anyone who contributed to his campaign efforts to send their M-Pesa messages or reference codes for a full refund.
“If you need a refund for any contribution you made to me when I was raising funds, kindly reply below with the M-Pesa message or check your M-Pesa statement and recover the M-Pesa ref. code. I would like to refund any Kenyan who may have thought that the contributions were a motivation for me to seek leadership,” he posted.
The move came after months of online silence and growing public distrust. Many accused Morara of misusing the support he once enjoyed, with some alleging he used donations to grow his business rather than highlight stalled government projects as promised. Others felt betrayed when he appeared to soften his stance against the government.
What Has Been the Public Reaction?
Reactions online have been fierce. X user Muthoni Njakwe commented, “You had a great chance to rise in the leadership realm, but you blew it,” to which Morara replied, “You dragged me down everyday.”
Another user, George T. Diano, didn’t hold back either: “You are not ripe for leadership, just log out & take a break, man.” Morara fired back, “You have trolled and insulted me every day. I have gotten to a point where I am ready to refund. Please save my time and paste those M-Pesa messages and reference codes.”
One user compared his refund move to political conmanship, claiming it mirrored how some MPs mismanage public funds, only to return them later when pressure mounts.
Has Morara Refunded the Money?
Yes, some Kenyans have confirmed receiving their refunds.
Popular user @@4Real_KE wrote:
“After many days of struggle, I can confirm that @MoraraKebasoSnr has paid back my 500. Big thanks to @Tuko_co_ke and all who supported me in this fight. There’s hope dear Kenyans if we fight hard enough for what’s rightfully ours.”
In response to the wave of refund requests, Morara explained his motivation, writing:
“Even God knows I have done my best. But I cannot continue living a life where I am traumatized every day to feel like a thief. My reputation is more important than money. And I will guard it with my life.”
He further added:
“If you feel robbed or conned because you contributed towards Civic Education activities, kindly continue commenting with M-Pesa Messages below or if you have lost the message, just download your statement and get the M-Pesa Reference Code.”
Morara confirmed that the refund process would continue for at least three more days to ensure that every Kenyan who feels shortchanged gets their money back.
“We will be doing this process of refunds every day for the next 3 days until everyone who feels robbed or conned receives what is rightfully theirs.”
By Risper Akinyi