Former Chief Justice David Maraga says he is fully in the presidential race and will stay in it until the end. He told those who doubt him to prepare for a surprise.
Maraga, who is running for president under the United Green Movement, spoke in Garissa during a voter drive called the Katiba Caravan. The event aims to help people get national ID cards and register as voters before the 2027 General Election.
He is touring northern Kenya with party officials and candidates. The team will visit Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera counties.
Maraga said the support he has received across the country has given him hope. He believes Kenyans are ready for change.
He said his tours are not for show. He said he is serious about changing how the country is governed. According to him, many Kenyans have urged him to keep going and not give up. He said people want real change and promised to deliver it.
Maraga pointed to corruption and misuse of public money as the main problems facing the country. He blamed poor leadership for the loss of public funds and said he will deal with corruption if elected.
He said many Kenyans are frustrated by how public resources are used. He promised to face the problem directly if he becomes president.
Maraga also said it is worrying that more than 60 years after independence, some areas still lack basic services like water. He gave the example of Garissa, where River Tana passes through the town, yet residents still struggle to get water. He said the area faces floods when it rains and drought when it does not, and called this a failure of leadership.
He urged Kenyans to register as voters and take part in elections. He said change can only happen through the ballot.
Maraga asked the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to send more officers to pastoralist areas so that nomadic communities can register and vote. He said the commission should reach people where they are, including in mosques, churches, and markets, and make voter registration continuous.
UGM Co Organizing Secretary Aden Yussuf Bute said the party wants residents to get ID cards and register as voters. He said good leadership starts with citizens taking part in elections. He added that drought has hurt many families and urged people to register and take charge of their future.
Garissa County UGM Coordinator Nimo Deco said young people and women must play a key role in elections. She said the party is educating youth and women, especially those who cannot read, on the need to get ID cards and register as voters. She said it is time to change leadership through the vote.
Wajir County UGM Coordinator Amina Bishar Malim said the party stands for accountability and proper use of public funds. She said although many young people speak out against poor leadership, many still fail to vote. She urged the youth to register in large numbers and vote, saying Maraga has shown in his public service career that he can be trusted with leadership.
