Paul Chebor: The 'Crocodile' threatening to swallow the Raymond Moi's Kanu cockerel in Rongai
Mr Paul “Mamba” Chebor of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) during the UDA primaries at Kirobon Secondary School in Nakuru County on April 15, 2022
Mr Raymond Kipruto Moi may have experienced mild political nightmares while vying for Rongai parliamentary seat in 2013 and 2017 without too many sleep paralysis episodes.
But Raymond 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.
Interestingly the UDA candidate who is giving Raymond sleepless nights and chasing him down and is about to make him experience perhaps the most vivid political dream of his life is Paul Chebor.
The 50-year-old politician is nicknamed "Mamba" by his supporters perhaps because he is about to swallow a cockerel, which is Raymond's symbol on the ballot paper is a man who is out to make history by sending his opponent to a political grave of oblivion.
Raymond Moi addresses the media on behalf of Former President Daniel Moi's family and friends at the Kabarnet Gardens in Nairobi on February 4, 2020.
Mr Chebor's rise to political stardom is a massive contrast in comparison to Raymond who comes from a dynasty family as his father Daniel arap Moi was the second President of Kenya.
To those who know him best, they describe the son of a peasant farmer, Mr Kenei arap Limo as a "simple gentleman born and raised in Tuiyotich village herding goats in the semi-arid Solai area."
He started his early primary education at Pombo primary school in Kisanana, Mogotio sub-county in the neighbouring Baringo county before proceeding to Kisanana Secondary School.
But unaware to many of the residents of Rongai, Mr Chebor started showing his political leadership skills at an early stage after completing his secondary education as he was the Youth leader at Full Gospel Church.
"Chebor was a youth leader after completing his secondary school and then became an evangelist at Full Gospel Church in Solai," revealed a close family friend.
Due to his influence as a youth leader, he actively participated in the politics of neighbouring Baringo county 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, current Cabinet Secretary, Labour and Social Protection who was seeking the Mogotio parliamentary seat.
However, 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 which saw him attract the eyes of politicians.
It came as no surprise when in 2002 he was the campaign team leader of Joseph Kipkaptor Korir who went on to win the Mogotio parliamentary seat.
He was so instrumental and vocal and at one time he said he was not sure he would return to Nakuru county and participate in the local politics.
Former Solai MCA Paul ‘Mamba’ Chebor of UDA and Rongai MP Raymond Moi of Kan
Interestingly while still at National Water Corporation he found himself participating in union politics and won a leadership position.
This took his level of popularity to the next level and he started shrugging shoulders with the who-is-who in Kenya politics.
He interacted with William Ruto when he was a grassroots mobiliser of Kanu and their political cord struck well.
Since he met the DP they have been good 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 conduct a funds drive for a school in his village in Solai Ward.
Mr Biwot landed on a chopper and the locals were mesmerized and started asking who had brought the chopper into their village.
Rumours started flying around that it was Mr Chebor and his political graph started rising rapidly.
In 2007 he vied for Maji Tamu ward on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket and won the civic seat and in 2013 his star continued to rise as he went on to win the Solai Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA) seat.
Rongai MP Raymond Moi. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP.
However, in 2017 he tasted his first political defeat when he lost his bid to win the Jubilee primaries in Rongai after he lost to Kibet Komen. However, Mr Komen lost to Raymond in the General Elections.
Interestingly Mr Komen is backing Raymond to win the seat in the 2022 elections.
Mr Chebor joined UDA at its initial stages and become a coordinator in Rongai and this gave him a lot of political mileage that saw him win the controversial UDA nominations against his archrival Raymond Komen.
Many residents say Mr Chebor is readily available and he is known to socialise in the low-income 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. We have meals and drinks in not high-end hotels but local kiosks. He is a down-to-earth politician and not like others who rarely pick our calls," said Henry Morogo a resident of Solai.
"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," said Chebor.
