Maraga outlines 4-point plan to restore rule of law after chaotic Saba Saba
Former Chief Justice David Maraga has issued a bold national address titled “State of Our Nation,” marking a dramatic entry into the 2027 presidential race and calling for urgent reforms amid escalating unrest in Kenya.
Posted on his X account dated July 8, 2025, the statement comes at a moment of national turmoil, with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) confirming.
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The KNCHR confirmed that 10 individuals tragically lost their lives during the Saba Saba anniversary demonstrations, which unfolded across seventeen counties in the country on July 7, 2025.
Additionally, the Commission documented 29 cases of injuries, 2 incidents of abduction, and 37 arrests directly linked to the protests.
“Sadly, yesterday, many had their lives cut short with bullets, while others have been injured. Their lives had value. We mourn with their families and friends and wish a quick recovery to those still in the hospital. Many other Kenyans have had their property destroyed. This is unacceptable,” he wrote.
“The truth is this. These young Kenyans are not alone. Their voices carry the pain of millions of Kenyans who are tired of where the country is heading. Kenyans are tired of the violence, the collapsing economy, the poor healthcare, and the failing education sector. A nation cannot stand when its people’s backs are broken.”
Titled “Reset, Restore, Rebuild,” Maraga’s message lays out a four-point action plan aimed at rescuing the nation from what he describes as institutional failure and a collapse in leadership under President William Ruto’s administration.
“The violent build-up of state repression has brought us to this point,” Maraga said, mourning the youth who were killed or injured while exercising their constitutional rights to peaceful assembly. He condemned elite political pacts—commonly known as handshakes—as superficial settlements that do not address the root causes of public discontent.
Four-point plan
Maraga’s first call is for the government to listen to the voices of young people, who he says have paid a “heavy price” for seeking a better country. Emphasising the value of their lives and sacrifices, he called for an end to political tokenism and demanded genuine reform driven by the people, not the elite.
Secondly, the former CJ called for accountability from institutions that have failed to uphold the law. He singled out the National Police Service, the Inspector General, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), and the National Assembly, accusing them of complicity in state violence and impunity.
The third demand is for the prosecution of those responsible for killing, injuring, and maiming civilians during the protests. “We must arraign in court all those involved in these atrocities,” he said, reinforcing his belief in due process and justice for victims.
Finally, Maraga directed criticism at the highest office in the land, saying, “The buck stops with the President.” He called for a public-led process to hold President Ruto accountable for gross violations of the Constitution, a move that reflects rising dissatisfaction with the administration’s direction.
Judicial credibility meets political ambition
“The violent build-up of state repression has brought us to this point. Kenya cries for a moral front to consolidate the incredible courage of the young people who have been demanding a better country. They were exercising their guaranteed rights to assembly and freedom of speech as unarmed citizens,” he documented.
He advised Kenyans not to give in to arnachy, saying that as a country we could prevent more bloodshed and destruction of property and write the next chapter of history with the ink of moral fortitude, not of blood.
“We face a deep crisis. We are on the abyss of instability. But we do not have to give in to anarchy. We can prevent more bloodshed. We can prevent the destruction of property. A moment like this calls upon us to write the next chapter of the history of our nation with the ink of moral fortitude,” he said.
Maraga noted that it is not an intergenerational conflict, as others wish to frame it. Neither is it an ethnic or constitutional crisis requiring a referendum nor yet another handshake. He revealed that it is a failure of leadership, an institutional failure, and not a constitutional deficit.
“This is not an intergenerational conflict, as others wish to frame it. Neither is it an ethnic or constitutional crisis requiring a referendum or yet another handshake. This is a failure of leadership, an institutional failure, and not a constitutional deficit. It is a failure that exposes the President’s abdication of responsibility when his government oversees the weaponisation of police and military against unarmed Kenyans,” he posed.
