Former Chief Justice David Maraga has strongly condemned the push to remove Supreme Court judges, calling it a dishonest scheme driven by political motives.
Speaking on Thursday at the People’s Dialogue Festival at Uhuru Park, Maraga dismissed the petitions seeking the judges’ removal, arguing that they are built on baseless claims meant to serve selfish interests.
“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 stated.
He insisted that if the petitions had been handled through the proper legal channels, the issue would have already been resolved.
“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,” he added.
Maraga: Corruption Is Kenya’s Biggest Problem
Turning to governance, Maraga stated that if he were president, his top priority would be eliminating corruption and ensuring strict adherence to the rule of law.
“If I was given the opportunity to govern this country, I would get everyone to obey the law. Everything would fall in place. The problem we have is corruption,” he asserted.
When asked whether he would consider running for president, the former CJ responded with a thought-provoking question.
“I want to ask you: what kind of leader do you want? The state of the country is dire… It’s clear to everyone that resources are being looted left, right, and center. The leadership we need is one that is accountable to the people. A true leader understands that holding office is about being a trustee of the people,” he stated.
Backing Gen Zs’ Push for Change
Maraga also threw his support behind the Gen Z-led movement for change, acknowledging their growing influence in Kenya’s political landscape.
He recalled last year’s demonstrations, where young protesters sent a clear message that they were fed up with political infighting, broken promises, and leadership that serves personal interests over national progress.
“We should heed that and see how we should cooperate and nurture them to come up and take over the leadership of this country,” he urged.
“They showed us that they are fearless and tribe-less.”
Maraga emphasized that leaders must focus on real issues to prevent further political unrest.
Kenya’s Constitution: A Global Benchmark
Despite the country’s challenges, Maraga insisted that Kenya is far from hopeless. He described its constitution as one of the most progressive in the world.
“Our country is not a hopeless nation; we have one of the best constitutions in the world—one which has elaborate provisions for human rights, social rights, and one that is the envy or the benchmark of other countries,” he stated.
