How I will fund my presidential campaign - Former CJ David Maraga - Citizen Digital

A screengrab of former Chief Justice David Maraga speaking during a live interview on Citizen TV’s The Explainer Show on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.

Former Chief Justice David Maraga has revealed that he will rely on contributions from ordinary Kenyans from as little as Ksh.50 to fund his presidential bid. 

In an interview with Citizen TV's Yvonne Okwara, Maraga stated that his campaign would be a 'Wanjiku-funded presidency' and expressed confidence that Kenyans would be willing to contribute funds to support his cause. 

Maraga, who served as Kenya’s 14th Chief Justice, said he plans to inject a modest amount of his personal savings into the campaign kitty, between Ksh.1 million and Ksh.2 million.

According to Maraga, these funds, when pooled together, could fund a formidable presidential campaign. 

"The details are being worked on. We will require a substantial amount of money. I will appeal to Kenyans to contribute to the campaigns. I'll put in very little money, around Ksh.1 million or Ksh.2 million, I don't have much money," he said. 

"With the suffering Kenyans have gone through, I'm sure we'll get Ksh.50, Ksh.100 from individuals. In fact, I'm hoping we'll get excess and whatever is left, we will give it to a public cause."

The former CJ decried what he termed a lack of competency in President William Ruto's regime and cited that his administration would offer a sharp contrast if elected in the 2027 presidential election.

"I am listening to Kenyans, to professionals, to people in education and what they are saying is they are not being given an opportunity to run. I am going to have officers who are competent in their respective areas and allow them to work," he remarked. 

"The information I have is that quite a number of people are in positions they are least qualified for. Their aim there is what are they going to get and give back to those who are in power?"  

"Impunity has reached the highest level it has ever been in this country. In my administration, I will make it very clear and I am making it clear from now that everybody will have to obey the law, starting with me."

Maraga also weighed in on the recent anti-government protests and noted that he would have approached the demonstrations with a people-centered dialogue rather than the use of brute force. 

He drew a clear distinction from former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's call for a national conclave, citing that his initiative would be people-driven rather than a handful of individuals jostling for positions. 

"We've had dialogues in the past and they've hardly gone to the root cause of the problems. To say that the government will set the agenda of the dialogue, that's a joke. It should be people-driven.

"I don't think it (national conclave) is going to resolve the problems. What will help is a people-oriented dialogue that will listen to the youths. I have requested and talked to some people to come together to see what we should do."