Morara Kebaso arrested over 'kufa dereva, kufa makanga' remarks at Bomas

Political activist Morara Kebaso has been arrested for allegedly creating disturbance at the Bomas of Kenya during the public participation exercise on the impeachment motion against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Friday last week.

His lawyer Pareno Solanka, in a series of posts on X, said Morara was whisked away in a Subaru vehicle to the Lang’ata Police Station, before later being transferred to the Karen Hardy Police Station.

According to a charge sheet seen by Citizen Digital, Morara is being accused of shouting ‘kufa dereva, kufa makanga’ during the public participation exercise, thereby causing breach of peace at the venue.

“On the 4th day of October 2024 at Bomas of Kenya in Lang’ata sub-county within Nairobi County while attending public participation forum to impeach the Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua with others not before court did create disturbance in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by uttering the words that ‘kufa dereva kufa makanga’ which made the public to react to the utterances,” read the document.

Morara, on the said day at Bomas, found himself scuttling for safety after chaos erupted during the public participation exercise.

The activist sustained injuries when he arrived at the venue to a hostile reception from suspected goons who hurled chairs at him while baying for his blood, prompting his security team to whisk him away.

Reflecting on the event a couple of days afterward, Morara claimed the attack was pre-planned and that there were clear signs that a trap was lying in wait for his arrival.

He said that upon his arrival at the main gate, he was prevented from going in by police officers but members of the public forced the officers to allow him in.

"I was then prevented from entering the door at Bomas, I went to another door and I was still prevented and also to the third door. I came to the first door and found a high-ranking officer who said that I can only go in with one person and I think that is where my security was compromised," he said speaking on Spice FM.

"There were enough red flags that I did not see. I had announced my position on my TikTok and Twitter that we impeach both the President and Deputy President and having done that there were people who were uncomfortable with that."