Political activist Morara Kebaso has sparked fresh conversations online after unveiling dramatic before-and-after photos of a house he says he completely rebuilt for the parents of his estranged wife, Mercy Makini, in Gionseri, Bobasi.
The transformation is striking.
Photos shared by Morara show the property’s humble beginnings—a modest mud-walled house with a rusty corrugated iron roof, barred windows and a largely bare compound.
The second image tells a completely different story.
The old structure has reportedly been replaced with a modern single-storey brick house featuring a distinctive red roof, large black-framed windows, a proper staircase at the entrance and a greener, more developed compound. A Toyota Land Cruiser Prado can also be seen parked outside the newly completed home.
But beyond the impressive transformation, Morara’s detailed account of the project has attracted even more attention.
The activist said he personally sourced the workers and suppliers involved in constructing and furnishing the house, even naming several people who he says played different roles in the project.
According to Morara, his foreman was Joshua from Kisii, while the head fundi was Sammy from Nyeri. Plumbing work, he said, was handled by Andrew from Kakamega.
He further claimed that he sourced mabati from Ruiru, tiles from KEDA and gypsum services from a man identified as Edwin. He also said he personally selected curtains from a supplier known as Husain in Eastleigh, Nairobi.
Morara maintained that he was involved in the project from the foundation stage all the way to completion and furnishing.
“I sourced the fundis myself. I built it up from foundation to finish and furnished it. I can even tell you where I bought everything,” he stated.
He added that he travelled to Kisii almost every week to personally supervise the construction.
Why he built for his in-laws first
Morara also revealed that the decision to build the house was made before he had constructed a home for his own parents.
He said that when he met Mercy, her parents were living in the old house, prompting him to make what he described as a deliberate decision to prioritize them.
“When I met Mercy this was her parent’s house. By then I had not built a house for my parents. But I made a decision that we will build for her parents first,” Morara said.
The revelation comes amid a highly publicized fallout between Morara and Mercy, who have previously addressed various issues surrounding their relationship, including questions about their marriage and why their relationship broke down.
Morara’s latest post appears to be aimed at responding to criticism he says has been directed at him during the ongoing dispute.
He also appeared to address calls for a boycott of a business associated with him, urging critics to consider the source of the money used to establish the venture.
“Appreciate the source ndio abarikiwe zaidi; biashara zingine zinafunguliwa kupitia kwa mikono yake,” he wrote.
Morara concluded by questioning whether men who quietly support their partners and extended families receive enough appreciation.
“What then do you say to a man like me who chose to support Mercy’s parents before his own parents? Wapi ile heshima kidogo mmebakisha ya wanaume kama mimi?” he asked.
The dramatic house transformation has since added another chapter to the public conversation surrounding the former couple, with Kenyans weighing in on Morara’s decision to invest in his estranged wife’s family despite the fallout between them.
