Presidential aspirant David Maraga is a jack of many trades, with highlights from his currently emerging political life, his career and finally his personal life.

In the recent protests held on June 25th 2025, as an opposing candidate to the current regime, Maraga was on the streets up in arms with the Gen Z generation demanding a better governance and honouring the lives lost last year during the June 2024 anti finance bill protests.

Speaking on June 25th 2025, Maraga pointed out that the protesters were peaceful and according to him, the fight needs to be fought to ensure the government abides to the constitution and human life is respected. His words on this day were a pure reflection of his commitment, love and service to the judicial system in this country.

Despite his selfless endeavour to show up on the streets, Maraga attracted a lot of backlash for this move. National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula hit back, stating that as a former Chief Justice of this nation, Maraga should be an example of a law-abiding citizen and not among the protests characterized by looting and violence.

Other prominent figures also noted that Maraga was standing against the government that put food on his table; they continued to allude that he should be denied his retirement privileges.

The former Chief Justice retired in January 2021 after serving as the 14th President of the Supreme Court since October 2016.

According to the constitution of Kenya, the former Chief Justice is entitled to a lump sum payment equivalent to 1 year’s salary for every term served. On top of that, a monthly pension and medical coverage equal to 80% of his salary, transport and fuel allowances, 3 government-provided vehicles, security, staff, and diplomatic privileges. He is also appointed two armed bodyguards if needed.

However, the above security detail was withdrawn after he participated in the June 25th protests. Some members of parliament have scrutinized him for this action and are considering a motion to deny politically active retirees their retirement benefits.

This may be an attempt to intimidate Maraga in his race for the 2027 elections as president, as he stated recently in his attempt to get his security detail back.

Taking part in the presidential race is a bold yet strategic move for Maraga. Given his experience in law, the candidate has clearly stated that his agenda is to enforce a law-abiding nation once elected.

Maraga started his career in private law practice where he worked for over 25 years. He specialized in civil and criminal litigations as well as conveyancing. During this period, he also served as the chairperson of the Rift Valley Law Society.

He later joined the bench as a High Court Judge in October 2003. He was appointed by the late Mwai Kibaki, and he served as a high court judge in Mombasa, Nakuru, and finally in Nairobi from 2010-2011. He was elevated to the Court of Appeal in January 2012, where he served up to 2014 in Nairobi County and as the presiding judge of the Court of Appeal in Kisumu from October 2014 until he was appointed Chief Justice.

During his tenure as Chief Justice, Maraga did al ot, from nullifying the 2017 Presidential election results due to election misconduct, a ruling that propelled his reputation positively and had the citizens chanting his quotes and name during that time to issuance of an advisory calling on the president to dissolve Kenyan Parliament owing to the failure by the parliament to enact legislation which would give effect to a provision in Kenya’s constitution that requires gender quotas in all public bodies.

The above vast and diverse experience working in different sectors and regions certainly prepares the presidential aspirant for implementing his agenda in becoming president of this country.

Nevertheless, Maraga has succumbed to far worse scrutiny that makes the people question whether he is the right candidate for the job.

Maraga, was the subject of several petitions inviting the Judicial Service Commission to remove him from office over gross misconduct. One such petition was filed in March 2019 by Yusuf Dimbil through lawyer Charles Koech on the grounds that the Chief Justice allegedly attended Jubilee Party’s political rallies, employed people from his ethnic Kisii group in the judiciary, and made unconstitutional utterances.

He was also accused of tribalism, employing only members of his Kisii tribe in his office. The petition claimed that nearly 85% of the staff in the Office of the Chief Justice under Maraga were from his Kisii ethnic group. These included his chief of staff, personal assistant, legal counsel, secretaries, and other staff.

Besides that, David Maraga, a religious adept believer and upholder of his faith, was also accused of having a child outside wedlock. On 30 June 2020, a 30-year-old woman caused a dramatic scene at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, where she alleged that Chief Justice Maraga had neglected a child they had together in 2014 following an extramarital affair.

The woman also alleged that the Chief Justice had subsequently used his high office to frustrate her attempts to file a child support case in the Kenyan Courts. Maraga went on to deny the charges through his lawyers.

David Maraga, the former Chief Justice and a political aspirant, has had a series of both amazing jobs he has done and a few controversies along the way. Despite all that, it is still a long way before the citizens of this country get to choose who to represent us as a country. Equally, Maraga, has time to continually prove to Kenyans that he is the right one. The decision lies in the hands of Kenyan citizens.