Former Chief Justice David Maraga has opened up about the intense pressure and the harrowing moments he faced in the aftermath of nullifying former President Uhuru Kenyatta's 2017 election win.
Speaking on Monday, November 24, during an interview on Oga Obinna TV, Maraga recalled receiving threats and abuses from aggrieved members of the public, a situation he says took a toll on his family.
Maraga, who is currently eying the presidency in the 2027 general elections, noted that despite issuing a candid and open judgment, his ruling drew heavy criticism.
The former CJ disclosed that the emotional moments were further exacerbated by Uhuru Kenyatta's sentiments at the time, in which he said he would revisit the ruling.
"The responsibility the president said he would revisit, and my family were scared when I got threats of plans to attack me. It was heavy, and I got prepared for the backlash. I was abused left, right and centre," said Maraga.
According to Maraga, the ruling was purely based on the evidence provided and in line with the Constitutional requirements of a fair, just and credible election.
"When you get that, you get the evidence, and as we said in that judgment, elections are not an event; they are a process, starting from voter registration. All in all, four of us were not satisfied that the presidential elections met the threshold, and we nullified it," he narrated.
He, however, maintained that despite receiving heavy backlash, threats and a string of abuses, neither he nor his family members were physically assaulted.
In September 2017, Maraga led a team of six judges in nullifying Uhuru's presidential win, in a historic ruling that sparked debate across the continent.
The ruling was reached after a majority of the Supreme Court judges, four of them, ruled against Uhuru's presidential win over claims of irregularities and illegality.
The court noted that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) neglected its role in conducting a credible presidential election. It ordered that fresh presidential elections be held within 60 days.
It was the first time in Africa that a court had ever overturned a presidential election. In response to the ruling, Uhuru, whose running mate at the time was William Ruto, stated that he would respect the court's decision but would revisit.
