Kibet Bull: The disciplined boy whose abduction shattered his dream of an engineering scholarship
Gideon Kibet alias Bull in Egerton ,Njoro during an interview after his release.
To many Kenyans, Kibet Bull is the cartoonist whose striking silhouettes, including those of President William Ruto, captured the attention of the internet.
But back home in Taita village, Tinet Ward, he is known to his family and neighbours as Gideon Kibet, a disciplined and hardworking young man both at home and away.
Gideon Kibet with his friends at Egerton, Njoro after he arrived in Nakuru following his release.
Kibet, 23, was abducted on December 24, 2024 in what many criticised as a response to his cartoons, mostly shared on X (formerly Twitter), which appeared to portray the government in a bad light.
Despite his internet fame, little is known about Kibet beyond his online persona. Speaking with Mtaa Wangu in a phone interview, his mother, Caroline Mutai, described him as a devoted son.
“Growing up, I never saw him as an artiste, designer, or activist,” she said, admitting that his rise to fame came as a surprise.
Born on November 19 in Kuresoi South, Kibet was a focused and disciplined child with no visible interest in art or activism.
“He was dedicated to his studies,” Ms Caroline noted, recounting his early education at Exodus Academy and later at Kericho T, Kamwaura Secondary School, and Stoito Secondary School, where he earned a B plain in his KCSE exams.
Gideon Kibet's mother Caroline Mutai , at their home in Taita Ward ,Kuresoi South.
Kibet's journey to higher education was not without challenges. Financial difficulties forced him to transfer schools, but his determination to succeed as an engineer never faltered.
He joined Egerton University, where he pursued a degree in Agricultural Engineering, graduating on November 29, 2024.
Ms Caroline revealed that Kibet had secured a scholarship to study for a master’s degree in Agricultural Engineering in Israel.
“He was set to fly out on December 27, 2024, at 6 p.m. I took a loan of Sh100,000 for his flight ticket. His dream was to succeed so he could support us back at home,” she says.
Plans for his departure were in full swing, and Kibet was living in Njoro at the time of his abduction. Reflecting on his cartoons, Ms Caroline admits she only discovered his work through the radio.
“He kept it hidden from me because he valued my opinion. Had I known earlier, I would have stopped him,” she remarked.