By SIRUEL ONG’ERA
Former Chief Justice David Maraga has sharply criticized the Kenya Kwanza administration, accusing it of presiding over economic decline and systemic corruption.
Maraga emphasized that will contest the 2027 presidential election in a bid to reverse the country’s downward spiral.
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Maraga, who is the Green Movement (UGM) Party presidential flag bearer, spoke on Friday at Riangabi Primary School Grounds, Kisii County during the burial of Mama Rose Nyabate Ontomwa.
The late Nyabate was the mother of KTN journalist Francis Ontomwa.
Maraga used the platform to deliver a rebuke of the government, saying corruption had become entrenched at the highest levels of leadership.
“The current economic situation is a result of governance failure and self-enrichment by those in power,” Maraga said.
The former Supreme Court President, who served between October 2016 and January 2021, specifically alleged impropriety in the oil sector, claiming that individuals in government had benefited from oil supply arrangements in a manner that bypassed established state institutions such as the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC).
He argued that such arrangements had contributed to inflated fuel prices, placing an additional burden on ordinary Kenyans.
The claims, however, were not independently verified.
Maraga also questioned the implementation of the e-Citizen platform and its integration with the Social Health Authority (SHA), faulting what he described as overreliance on foreign systems instead of local expertise.
Drawing comparisons with his tenure in the Judiciary, he noted that the e-filing system introduced under his leadership was developed locally and improved efficiency in court operations.
Known for his strict interpretation of constitutionalism, Maraga also decried what he termed a growing culture of bribery and corruption in public life, including during high-profile political events.
“If given the mandate as president, I will deal with corruption decisively from day one. No one will be spared, including myself,” he said, urging voters to participate actively in the electoral process ahead of 2027.
Maraga’s judicial legacy includes his landmark 2017 Supreme Court decision that annulled a presidential election and his advisory on parliamentary dissolution over gender rule compliance—rulings that cemented his reputation as a firm defender of constitutional order.
His entry into active politics is a significant shift from the bench to the political arena, with a campaign centered on anti-corruption and governance reform.
