Political activist Morara Kebaso has sparked considerable controversy on social media platform X after making remarks regarding defilement cases that many Kenyans found offensive and trivializing.
The debate gained traction following a video of Kebaso engaging with a group of youths shortly after his release from a Nairobi court, where he faced cybercrime charges.
During the discussion, Kebaso shared an incident involving a remandee accused of defilement, suggesting that the suspect should mediate with the victim’s family rather than relying on the court system for justice.
“I found someone with a defilement case… I requested him to ask his family to speak to the family of the girl. Because the courts cannot help you…” he stated. This comment drew immediate backlash, with critics condemning him for minimizing the severity of defilement.
Njeri Migwi, founder of the ‘Usikimywe’ initiative advocating for sexual abuse victims, publicly criticized Kebaso, tweeting, “We DO NOT solve defilement of children by mediation.”
In response to the criticism, Kebaso defended his position, arguing for a revision of Kenya’s Sexual Offences Act, claiming it is unfairly punitive towards young males involved in consensual scenarios with underage girls.
He stated, “Most of the freshas in campus are 17 yet 90% of them are already having sex.”
While some supported Kebaso’s viewpoint, many condemned the implications of his remarks, particularly the notion that underage girls could somehow share blame if they behaved “like adults.”
