Nairobi, Kenya- Former Chief Justice David Maraga has once again lit up Kenya’s political discourse, this time with a scathing post on X (formerly Twitter), condemning the abduction and subsequent discovery of Juja MP George Koimburi unconscious at a farm in Kibichoi, Githunguri.
The post, which quickly gained traction online, called the ordeal “reprehensible” and questioned the government’s role in the ongoing trend of forced disappearances.
Maraga didn’t mince words—he directly referenced President William Ruto’s earlier assurance to Kenyans that abductions would end, made during a joint press briefing with Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
“Was that a confirmation that state agencies are involved?” Maraga asked pointedly. “Did he lie about ending abductions?”
The rhetorical questions struck a nerve across the political divide, as Kenyans revisited a long string of alleged state-linked kidnappings, arbitrary detentions, and extrajudicial abuses.
The Koimburi incident—abducted from a church service only to be found unconscious the next day—further stoked fears that Kenya is drifting dangerously close to authoritarian rule.
Maraga didn’t stop at condemnation. In language echoing his now widely circulated New Year address from late 2024, the former CJ reiterated the urgent need to restore constitutionalism, accountability, and human dignity.
“We cannot continue to be a country governed by leaders who have no regard for the rule of law and human life,” he posted. “We must reset Kenya to accountability and constitutionalism.”
That “reset” is not a new refrain for Maraga. Back in December, as the country staggered toward the end of a politically turbulent 2024, he issued a blistering critique of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s record.
In that address, he decried extrajudicial killings, economic mismanagement, and the collapse of public trust.
“When Kenyans voted overwhelmingly for a new constitution in 2010,” Maraga said then, “they envisioned a transformative framework for addressing impunity. That vision must guide us in confronting the challenges ahead.”
The challenges haven’t let up. From the “Gen Z” protests over joblessness and unaffordable living, to reports of young men tortured, disappeared, or killed, the former CJ’s concerns have only grown more relevant.
In his earlier statement, Maraga had also urged urgent economic reforms and a restructuring of the tax regime to ease the burden on struggling Kenyans. But with a sitting MP found unconscious after a brazen abduction, the call now is more fundamental: a return to the basics of the rule of law.
As questions swirl around the state’s possible involvement, public pressure continues to mount for transparent investigations—not just into Koimburi’s abduction, but into the broader pattern of state intimidation tactics.
And as Maraga’s post trends across platforms, one thing is clear: the former Chief Justice isn’t backing down. He remains one of the most principled and vocal defenders of constitutionalism in an era where such voices are increasingly rare.
