Chief Justice Emeritus David Maraga has pledged to fix Kenya's economy if he is elected president, placing the state of the country's finances at the centre of his bid. Laying the blame for the economic crisis squarely on the Ruto regime, the former chief justice positioned himself as an alternative who would steer the country onto a different path.
Maraga warned that the level of corruption in the country has risen to worrying levels, and he called for an urgent national conversation to address what he described as the rot. He framed the fight against graft as central to any genuine economic recovery, arguing that the two issues could not be separated.
He made the remarks during a state of the nation address held at Ufungamano House in Nairobi, alongside the party leader of the United Green Movement. Speaking at the event, Maraga said the country's economy was on a nosedive, accusing President William Ruto of overseeing a dwindling economy.
As a step towards fighting corruption, Maraga proposed that all presidential aspirants be required to declare their wealth and explain the source of their billions before being entrusted to run the country's affairs. He presented the measure as a basic test of accountability for anyone seeking the highest office.
To underline the point, Maraga said he was ready to lead by example. I am ready to declare my assets, he said, before going further and challenging every presidential aspirant to do the same, starting with Ruto. He demanded that the president account for how he had built his wealth, casting transparency as a precondition for trust.
The address also pointed to the shape of a possible opposition alliance. There were efforts to bring Maraga into a joint coalition with the Edwin Sifuna faction, and leaders allied to the Linda Mwananchi movement rooted for a Maraga and Sifuna ticket, terming it a clean ticket built around accountability.
Supporters argued that such a pairing would offer a credible challenge to the incumbent, with the Azimio side said to be ready for talks to form a formidable pair to unseat President Ruto. For Maraga, the message from Ufungamano House was that the next contest should be fought on the economy, corruption and the question of who can be trusted to run the country.