Maraga’s Digital Campaign Surges, Prompts System Upgrade Amid Diaspora-Driven Donations
NAIROBI, Kenya– Chief Justice Emeritus David Maraga isn’t just running for president — he’s rewriting the political campaign playbook, one grassroots donation at a time. Less than a week after launching his digital fundraising platform, Maraga’s team is already scaling up its systems to handle the overwhelming wave of support — both from home and abroad.
In a statement released Wednesday, July 23, Maraga thanked thousands of Kenyans who have rallied behind his campaign and hinted at some growing pains that come with rapid success.
“Our technical team continues to strengthen our digital platform’s capacity and security,” the statement read, noting that upgrades to the platform — including the public donations ticker — may cause occasional downtime. “We ask that you please be patient with us as we work to stabilise the system.”
Translation? The momentum is real, and it’s breaking the backend.
Maraga, who announced his candidacy for the presidency earlier this year, has insisted on running a people-powered campaign — literally. His plan is to rely on small contributions from everyday Kenyans rather than deep-pocketed political donors. T
he result so far: Ksh500,000 raised in just 48 hours. And that’s before any big money from corporates or political alliances.
“I told you I don’t have money,” Maraga said in a recent interview. “Those in the diaspora are putting in dollars, which tells you Kenyans want change.”
And change, clearly, is what he’s selling. Alongside campaign financing, one of the pillars of Maraga’s platform is electoral reform.
The former Chief Justice wants to level the playing field, ensuring that ordinary Kenyans — not just the wealthy and well-connected — can contest for leadership positions without needing to break the bank.
The campaign isn’t just about donations and speeches. Maraga’s team is now developing new tech tools to organise feedback from the public on his manifesto priorities.
Another upgrade on the way? A structured framework for volunteers to plug in their talents and contribute meaningfully to the campaign.
It’s a far cry from the traditional rallies and roadside money handouts Kenyans have come to expect in an election cycle.
But Maraga, known for his principled stand on matters of law and justice, is betting that the same integrity that defined his judicial career will strike a chord with voters hungry for a fresh alternative.
While his digital platform undergoes a few tweaks and possible outages, one thing’s clear: Maraga’s campaign is gaining traction, online and on the ground.
