Is David Maraga Ruto’s secret weapon for 2027?

NAIROBI, Kenya July 15 – Former Chief Justice David Maraga on June 2025 threw his hat into the 2027 presidential race, promising to offer clean, accountable, and ethical leadership.

But as he steps out of the courtroom and into the cutthroat world of politics, tough questions are emerging: Who’s funding Maraga? And is he truly an independent candidate or a silent state project?

In a country where elections are often driven by big money and tribal kingpins, the sudden entry of Maraga’s political movement has left many Kenyans curious and cautious.

“After serious reflection, I thought it was time we thought about the leadership of this country. I have made up my mind that I will run for the presidency in 2027,” Maraga declared on June 18, 2024.

The former CJ said he is not depending on political financiers or wealthy backers, instead pledging to crowdfund his campaign.

“People with money buy your soul, and that’s the last you hear of them until the next election,” he warned.

– Maraga’s campaign sparks dirty questions –

But despite that pledge, there’s growing suspicion in some political quarters that Maraga’s clean image may be conveniently co-opted by power brokers aiming to split critical voting blocs particularly the Kisii vote and the increasingly influential Gen Z electorate.

Insiders claim the state could be quietly backing Maraga to draw support away from more aggressive opposition candidates, and to weaken growing momentum around Gen Z-led anti-establishment movements.

Maraga’s recent ties to President Ruto also raise eyebrows. In December 2022, Ruto appointed him to chair the Police Reforms Taskforce, a role he held for nearly a year.

Though he submitted the final report in November 2023, a court later ruled the taskforce unconstitutional, fueling claims that his independent image may mask deeper political alignments.

“You don’t declare for presidency without someone pulling strings. If Ruto wants to dilute the opposition and keep the Kisii region in check, Maraga is the perfect gentleman for the job,” a Kisii politician, speaking anonymously told this writer.

– Gen Z divided: Hope or Trojan horse? –

Maraga’s clean record and firm stance against corruption have earned him some admiration among Gen Z protesters, who have recently taken to the streets demanding reforms, justice, and accountability.

He has openly condemned police brutality and excessive force against youth.

“This has come as a result of what has happened in the country. To see our young people being handled the way they have been handled is extremely worrying,” he said during an interview.

But Gen Z activists remain split. While some see him as a beacon of hope, others fear he may be used as a Trojan horse to divert their energy and neutralize their resistance.

“We like Maraga, but we’re watching closely. We won’t be fooled by clean suits and big words,” Kelvin Njoroge, a Nairobi-based Gen Z who will vote for the first time in 2027 said.

Maraga is remembered most for his bold 2017 Supreme Court ruling that nullified a presidential election a move that made him a hero to many and a villain to some in government.

His judicial legacy stands tall, but now, stepping into politics, he faces the same public scrutiny as the politicians he once challenged.

Can a man who once said, “We cannot pretend we are a democracy when the law only works for the powerful,” survive in the murky waters of Kenyan politics?

– From Courtroom to campaign, Can Maraga stay untouched? –

Maraga insists he’s not running to gain power, but to restore Kenya’s lost institutions and fight the grip of ethnicity-based politics.

“This politics of where I come from and how many voters are behind me is what has brought us to where we are,” he said, calling for leadership based on integrity, not tribal math.

He also vowed to pick a team of qualified professionals and end the culture of micromanagement and patronage.

Maraga stressed that he will rely on public donations to fund his campaign a sharp contrast to Kenya’s billionaire-backed politics.

Whether Kenyans will be willing to finance a campaign in tough economic times remains to be seen.

– Clean Image, Cloudy Intentions?

Maraga’s entry into the 2027 race has shaken the field, joining a list of declared aspirants including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi and other seasoned politicians.

He’s positioning himself as the clean alternative, but in Kenyan politics, every clean name attracts dirty speculation.

Is he the late Mwai Kibaki of the Gen Z generation, or just a well-packaged tool in a bigger political game?

For now, Maraga says his only motivation is to “give Kenyans the leadership they deserve.”

But with money, power, and regional politics at play, many are asking the hard question: who’s really behind the Maraga campaign?

And perhaps more importantly, what do they want in return?