Ex-Chief Justice David Maraga Friday called on legal professionals to uphold integrity in handling client funds and to embrace value-driven leadership, as he officially confirmed his entry into the 2027 presidential race.
Speaking during the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) South West Branch Prayer Breakfast, Maraga used the platform to deliver a strong message on ethics within the legal profession before shifting into a broader political declaration.
He said his decision to join active politics was influenced by wave of Gen Z-led protests and growing concerns over alleged extra-judicial actions, which he described as signs of a nation in distress.
“I agonized over their invitation and finally took the decision to do so,” Maraga said, acknowledging the weight of the decision and the challenges that lie ahead.
Maraga pledged to run a campaign anchored on constitutionalism, accountability, and an uncompromising fight against corruption.
He said his goal would be to dismantle what he termed Kenya’s entrenched culture of transactional politics.
He vowed to “reset the country to the constitutional aspiration we gave ourselves in 2010,” insisting that strict adherence to the Constitution would be the foundation of his leadership.
He also promised firm action against impunity across all levels of government.
“My commitment is simple: to restore dignity to public office and ensure the Constitution is not treated as a suggestion but as the supreme law of the land,” he said.
The former Chief Justice, who in 2017 presided over the annulment of a presidential election, described corruption as a national crisis that has pushed the country to a breaking point.
He said addressing graft would be central to restoring public trust and unlocking national progress.
Maraga committed to a zero-tolerance approach to corruption, arguing that tackling impunity decisively would naturally realign Kenya towards development and justice.
“Corruption is not just theft of public resources; it is theft of hope from millions of Kenyans,” he said, pledging a zero-tolerance approach. “Where I will be, impunity will not find shelter—regardless of who is involved.”
Reflecting on his time in the Judiciary, he pointed to landmark moments including the 2017 Supreme Court decision, his 2020 advisory on the dissolution of Parliament, and his repeated confrontations with the Executive as evidence of what he termed his “clarity of purpose.”
“We must reset the country to the constitutional aspiration we gave ourselves in 2010. That document was not a political compromise—it was a national covenant,” he said.
He said those experiences demanded moral courage and often placed him in isolation while making decisions that affected powerful state institutions.
“Those moments demanded moral courage. I was often isolated, but I chose principle over pressure,” he said.
Maraga also emphasized the role of law as a tool for social transformation, urging members of the legal fraternity to defend its integrity and purpose. He further called for unity within the LSK following recent divisive elections, saying cohesion within the profession was essential for upholding justice and accountability in the country.
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