Former Chief Justice David Maraga has condemned corruption as Kenya’s most pressing challenge, hinting at a possible presidential run as he takes an increasingly vocal stance on the country’s leadership.
Breaking his silence, Maraga framed graft as the root of Kenya’s struggles, pointing to the need for decisive action. His remarks come amid growing scrutiny of the embattled Supreme Court, adding weight to his call for accountability.
Maraga, who was speaking at the People Dialogue Festival at Uhuru Park, said that given the chance to lead the country, he would do away with the vice that has permeated most sectors, both public and private.
“The truth of the matter is what is ailing this country and very many African countries is corruption. The moment you deal with corruption, we will have no problem,” he told a group on Thursday.
Adding, “If I was to be given the privilege to govern this country, I would get everybody to obey the law.” He went on to insist, “The moment you have everybody obey the law, everything will fall into place. And that is the only problem we have.”
Additionally, he noted that many leaders had selfish ambitions, hence the talks of extending the presidential term limit. "Our Constitution is one of the best. The problem we have is corruption and personal gain. Leaders want to get to political power to enrich themselves. As a result, they do not want to implement the provisions of the Constitution," the former CJ remarked.
While addressing the petitions filed to remove the Supreme Court judges, including Chief Justice Martha Koome, Maraga termed the efforts as dishonest and meant to ‘achieve selfish gains.’
Earlier this year, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) received petitions to remove Chief Justice Koome and six other Supreme Court judges over alleged incompetence and misconduct.
The petitions, filed by former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju's Dari Limited, former Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi, and lawyer Christopher Rosana, were sparked by the controversy surrounding the Supreme Court's ban on Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi and his law firm.
In response, CJ Koome and the other judges filed petitions in the High Court to stop the JSC proceedings, arguing it lacked authority over Supreme Court decisions. Justice Njoki Ndung'u described the ouster process as "unconstitutional."
"The problem is that we have people coming up with false allegations which are not there. You need to read the petitions that have been filed against the judges of the Supreme Court and see where the problem is," Maraga said.
"If the petitions would have been solved by those authorities where those petitions are supposed to be addressed, then the problem would have been solved. It is a question of dishonesty for personal gain or to assist others to achieve a political end," Maraga insisted.
The High Court granted temporary orders to halt the JSC's actions, preventing a potential constitutional crisis.
Maraga is being considered as a potential presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
