"Kenyans Will Contribute": David Maraga's Bold Plan for a Presidential Campaign Budget

Retired Chief Justice Emeritus David Maraga has sent a clear signal about his political ambitions, hinting at a potential presidential run and proposing a "Wanjiku-funded" campaign to challenge Kenya's deeply entrenched culture of electoral spending.

His remarks came during a candid interview on Citizen Television with Yvonne Okwara, who pressed him on the estimated Ksh. 10 billion standard budget typically required for a presidential campaign.

Maraga did not waste a minute in making his intentions clear, directly addressing what he believes is a core political affliction in Kenya.

He began by articulating his concern that excessive campaign spending fuels corruption in office.

“Many people use a lot of money to get into office, and when they successfully do so, the first thing they want to do is to recover what they used,” Maraga stated, drawing a direct link between electoral financing and post-election graft.

He then cited a recent example to underscore his point: “I was seated here when one of the news items came up. That the Auditor General has red-flagged non-existent schools being budgeted for.”

He continued, asserting, “That is how people recover money, and it makes it hard for people with little resources to run for these seats. I would like for it to change.”

The retired Chief Justice went on to advocate for the overhaul of empowerment programmes, arguing that they are often used as a disguised means to influence voters. He eloquently expressed that such programmes are "more or less a way to pay people to vote for you as a candidate," rather than genuinely addressing economic issues.

"A Wanjiku-Funded Campaign": Maraga's Bold Financial Model

Breaking the ice on the financial aspect of his potential campaign, Maraga admitted, “I have very little money. One or two million shillings.”

He then unveiled his bold proposition: “I will appeal to Kenyans to contribute to the campaign. It will be a Wanjiku-funded campaign.”

This refers to 'Wanjiku' as the ordinary Kenyan citizen, suggesting a grassroots, citizen-led funding model.

He assured Kenyans that the details of the amount collected and expenditure would be aired publicly, promising full transparency. He also asserted that there would be "no funding gap," hinting at confidence in public support.

While he did not explicitly announce a political party, Maraga indicated that a coalition party is likely, one that would "unfailingly reflect his values, vision, and manifesto."

He further affirmed that there’s a promising support system ready to contribute to his cause, though he refrained from revealing the specific persons behind it, perhaps to maintain the narrative of a publicly-driven effort.

He assured the public through the interview that his team is actively working on the budget and financial framework, hinting that details will be shared towards the end of the year.