By GPC News Desk
Former Chief Justice David Maraga is in the United States, where he is engaging Kenyans living abroad as he seeks to shape his 2027 presidential campaign agenda and consolidate diaspora support.
Maraga, the United Green Movement (UGM) presidential flag-bearer, has already held town-hall meetings in Baltimore, Maryland, Jersey City and New Jersey, where corruption, electoral reforms, healthcare and education emerged as key concerns.
Also Read
The former Chief Justice arrived in Washington, DC, on September 17 for a three-week tour expected to take him to several states before his scheduled return to Kenya on October 5. His itinerary includes New York, Minnesota, Georgia, Houston and Dallas.
At the Baltimore and Jersey City meetings, Maraga said a government under his leadership would make the fight against corruption and improvement of public services among its immediate priorities.
The engagements were also intended to gather views from Kenyans in the diaspora to inform his 2027 manifesto.
Participants raised concerns over what they described as declining public services, corruption and weak governance, while highlighting the role of Kenyans abroad in supporting families and the wider economy through remittances.
Maraga said the discussions demonstrated the need to address governance and institutional weaknesses, drawing on his experience in the Judiciary.
On electoral reforms, participants called for the scrapping of the national tallying centre, cleaning of the voters’ register, enforcement of election offences and improvement of electoral technology, including electronic voting for Kenyans in the diaspora.
They also called for greater scrutiny of the recruitment and conduct of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission officials and the management of electoral processes.
Maraga said the concerns would form part of discussions on his proposed electoral reforms. His campaign website has also listed electoral reform among the issues featuring in his current political messaging.
Young Kenyans at the meetings raised concerns about foreign influence and legislation they fear could affect freedom of expression and cross-border land transactions.
Maraga said his proposed foreign policy would take a Pan-African approach aimed at strengthening Africa’s bargaining position internationally.
The former Chief Justice identified education, healthcare, agriculture and youth employment as areas requiring attention.
The US tour comes after Maraga’s nationwide Ukatiba Caravan, which took him to 43 counties between February and April as part of his efforts to engage Kenyans on constitutionalism and governance.
Maraga had earlier said the diaspora should be regarded as a partner in Kenya’s development and democratic future rather than simply a source of remittances.
“Our Constitution recognizes the Diaspora as full partners in Kenya’s future, not just a source of remittances,” he said before beginning the US tour.
His US engagements are expected to continue through October 4, covering communities in different states before his scheduled departure for Nairobi on October 5.
