By Ongaga Ongaga
Possible United Green Movement (UGM) presidential candidate David Maraga on Friday described his 107-year-old sister, Mama Safina Nyaboe Otiambo, as a trusted confidant whose death had left a deep void in his family.
Maraga had gathered with relatives and mourners in Nyairobi Village, Kipkelion, Kericho County, to bid her farewell.
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“I have not only lost a sister, but a close confidant,” Maraga, who is a former Chief Justice said, reflecting on a family bond that endured across generations.
He thanked the Catholic Church, the funeral committee, Otiambo’s children and the wider family for standing with them during the period of mourning.
The solemn occasion also provided an opportunity for Maraga to speak about the kind of country he hopes to lead should he win the 2027 presidential election.
He promised to place constitutionalism, integrity and accountability at the centre of his administration.
Maraga said his vision was to “reset, restore and rebuild” Kenya, with a government that respects the Constitution, protects public resources and delivers services without discrimination.
He maintained that no individual, including the president, should be above the law, warning that political connections and proximity to the head of state should not be used to evade accountability.
He pledged to fight corruption and strengthen public institutions, saying Kenyans deserved a system in which access to government services depended on their rights rather than personal connections.
The former CJ cited Kenyans living abroad as an example, noting that they wanted efficient public services, including passport processing, without having to rely on influential individuals to get assistance.
Healthcare would also be a priority under his proposed administration, he said, promising to improve access to treatment and ensure dispensaries were adequately stocked with medicine.
His campaign agenda includes education, youth empowerment, innovation and technology, justice, integrity and inclusive development.
Maraga also said his family would neither trade nor work with the government, underscoring what he presented as his commitment to independence from political patronage.
Former East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Kiangoi Ombasa, who attended the burial, called for national unity and peaceful political competition as the country approaches the next General Election.
In a message delivered on behalf of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, the departed matriarch was remembered as a hardworking farmer and devoted Catholic.
United Green Movement Secretary-General Katto Wambua also urged Kenyans to remain united ahead of the 2027 polls.
The party’s co-leader, Neto Agostinho, called on presidential aspirants to compete on the strength of their ideas and urged citizens to maintain peace.
