Political activist Morara Kebaso has urged Kenyans to avoid confusing large political rally crowds with actual voter support. Speaking on a morning show on July 27, 2026, the Borabu parliamentary aspirant emphasized that big gatherings do not necessarily translate into votes.
Morara highlighted several reasons why people attend rallies beyond political backing:
- Some attend because they have no other engagements.
- Others seek entertainment or are simply curious.
- Some use the events for social media content creation.
- There are also individuals who exploit the crowds for criminal acts like pickpocketing.
He suggested that many attendees at Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna's events might be drawn by the novelty of seeing him in person, having only known him through television appearances.
Morara cautioned that large crowds have historically not guaranteed electoral victories. He cited examples such as former Chief Justice David Maraga, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, and former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i, who all once attracted massive audiences but whose political influence later waned.
Specifically, he recalled Matiang’i’s return from the United States, which drew overwhelming crowds surpassing recent turnouts at Sifuna’s homecoming in Western Kenya.
Morara also noted that President William Ruto and the late Prime Minister Raila Odinga consistently attracted large rallies during campaigns without guaranteeing election wins.
Regarding Sifuna’s current momentum, Morara described it as political hype likely to fade, comparing youth engagement in politics to the fleeting popularity of a hit song.
“When the hype dies down, attention shifts elsewhere,” he remarked, urging caution in interpreting rally enthusiasm as electoral certainty.
