Paul Chebor: Ex-goat herder giving Raymond Moi nightmares in Rongai race

Mr Raymond Kipruto Moi may have experienced mild political nightmares when he vied for the Rongai parliamentary seat in 2013 and 2017 without too many sleep paralysis episodes.

But Mr Moi is now facing truly one of the most terrifying political moments of his life, thanks to a new political character that is hungry and dangerous like a cobra out of the water.

The UDA candidate giving Mr Moi sleepless nights is Paul Chebor.

Mr Chebor, 50, nicknamed "Cobra" by his supporters perhaps because he is about to swallow a cockerel, Mr Moi’s symbol on the ballot paper, wants to make history by sending his opponent to political oblivion.

Mr Chebor's rise to political stardom is a sharp contrast with Me Moi, who comes from a dynasty that was led by his father Daniel arap Moi, the second President of Kenya.

Those who know him best describe the son of a peasant farmer as a "simple gentleman born and raised in Tuiyotich village herding goats in the semi-arid Solai area".

He studied at Pombo Primary School in Kisanana, Mogotio sub-county, in neighbouring Baringo County before proceeding to Kisanana Secondary.

He started showing his political leadership skills at an early stage after completing secondary school as he was the youth leader at Full Gospel Church.

He then became an evangelist at Full Gospel Church in Solai, said a close family friend.

As a youth leader, he actively participated in the politics of Baringo and this paid dividends.

He was spotted by Edward Cherutich Kiptanui, a former MP for Baringo South and a past chairperson of the National Water Corporation (NWC), who secured him a job as a driver in the state agency.

In 1997, Mr Chebor led the campaign team of Simon Kiprono Chelugui, the current Cabinet Secretary for Labour, who was seeking the Mogotio parliamentary seat.

But Mr Chelugui lost to William Cheruiyot Morogo of Kanu.

Mr Chebor's active participation in the competitive politics of Baringo sharpened his political and public speaking skills, attracting the eyes of politicians.

It came as no surprise when in 2002 he was picked to lead the campaign team of Joseph Kipkaptor Korir, who went on to win the Mogotio parliamentary seat.

He was so instrumental and vocal that at one time he said he was not sure he would return to Nakuru County and participate in local politics.

While still at the NWC, he found himself participating in union politics and won a leadership position.

This took his popularity to the next level and he started rubbing shoulders with the who’s who in Kenyan politics.

He interacted with William Ruto when he was a grassroots mobiliser for Kanu and struck a political chord with the future Deputy President.

The two became political bedfellows and he is regarded as one of the close allies of the President-elect in Nakuru County.

In 2006, he resigned from the NWC and started focusing seriously on politics, and at one stage he brought the late powerful minister Nicholas Biwott to raise money for a school in his village in Solai ward.

Mr Biwott landed in a chopper and locals were mesmerised and started asking who had brought it to their village.

Rumours started flying around that it was Mr Chebor and his political graph started rising rapidly.

In 2007, he vied for the Maji Tamu ward seat under ODM and won. His star continued to rise, and in 2013 he was elected member of the county assembly (MCA) for Solai ward.

But in 2017, he tasted his first political defeat when he lost in Jubilee primaries for the Rongai parliamentary seat to Kibet Komen. Mr Komen lost to Mr Moi in the General Election.

Interestingly, Mr Komen is backing Mr Moi in the 2022 elections.

Mr Chebor joined UDA when the party was created and became its coordinator in Rongai. This helped him win the controversial UDA nominations against his archrival Mr Komen.

Many residents say Mr Chebor is readily available for them and he is known to socialise in working-class entertainment joints.

"We love Chebor because if we want to see him, we can catch up with him anytime as he is a frequent visitor to our shopping centre,” said Henry Morogo, a resident of Solai.

“We have meals and drinks with him, not in high-end hotels but local kiosks. He is a down-to-earth politician and not like others who rarely pick up our calls.”

Mr Chebor said: "If this seat is mine and it is God's wish, I will clinch it and if it is God's wish Raymond retains it, I will accept and respect the verdict of the 84,625 voters of Rongai."

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