Former Chief Justice David Maraga speaking at town-hall meetings in Baltimore on September 19 and Jersey City on September 20, 2026. /HANDOUT
Former Chief Justice David Maraga has told Kenyans in the United States that his government will make corruption, electoral reform, healthcare and education its first-order priorities.
Speaking at town-hall meetings in Baltimore on September 19 and Jersey City on September 20, presidential flagbearer for the United Green Movement (UGM) said the sessions were meant to sharpen his 2027 manifesto and build a diaspora-backed reform agenda as part of a wider US tour.
Participants flagged collapsing public services, graft and weak governance as the main reasons Kenyans abroad continue to carry the country through remittances.
Former Chief Justice David Maraga speaking at town-hall meetings in Baltimore on September 19 and Jersey City on September 20, 2026. /HANDOUT
They urged immediate anti-corruption action, arguing that Kenya’s bottleneck is not talent but failing leadership and systems.
On elections, the meetings rejected the national tallying centre and backed five People’s Coalition demands: scrap the centre; clean the voters’ register; enforce election offences; upgrade technology, including electronic voting for the diaspora; and ensure IEBC personnel and processes are beyond reproach.
Former Chief Justice David Maraga during town hall meetings in Baltimore on September 19 and Jersey City on September 20, 2026. /HANDOUT
Young attendees also raised alarms about foreign influence, citing laws they fear could curb free expression and cross-border land deals, while Maraga pledged a Pan-African foreign policy to strengthen Africa’s bargaining power globally.
Drawing on his judicial record, Maraga promised a firm, decisive approach to corruption and said his administration would prioritise education, healthcare, agriculture and youth employment.
Former Chief Justice David Maraga during a town-hall meetings in Baltimore on September 19 and Jersey City on September 20, 2026. /HANDOUT
The agenda raised has seen President William Ruto’s administration wobble repeatedly on related issues, from debates on the national tallying centre to police reforms and constitutional compliance.
Maraga’s three-week US tour, which began in Washington, DC, before moving to Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and other states, is designed to galvanise diaspora support ahead of the 2027 General Election.
