David Maraga, the 2027 presidential flag bearer of the United Green Movement (UDM), has criticised President William Ruto for what he termed costly mega projects aimed at looting public resources.
The former Chief Justice said it would be "a disaster" if President Ruto is re-elected, citing rampant corruption in his administration.
Speaking on Friday at a funeral in Kitutu Chache North, Kisii County, Mr Maraga said it was inappropriate for President Ruto to change the contractor for the Rironi-Mau-Summit road.
The Rironi-Mau Summit road project, originally a Sh160 billion deal with a French consortium (Vinci) under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, was cancelled by President Ruto and awarded to Chinese firms for approximately Sh200 billion. Kenya reportedly paid the French consortium Sh7 billion in compensation for the cancellation.
“You have read the Nation today about the Rironi-Mau-Summit road. During the time of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, a French company was contracted to construct that road for about Sh159.27 billion, but as soon as Ruto came to power, he revoked that contract and gave it to a Chinese company at a cost of Sh192.6 billion—an extra Sh33.3 billion,” said Mr Maraga.
He explained that the same Chinese company has been involved in road construction in Ethiopia, and here in Kenya, it is costing the Kenyan people Sh1 million per metre.
“This project has become very costly. These mega projects that Ruto is pushing so hard, including the affordable housing units, are for the purpose of looting public resources, and they are being looted in large sums of money,” Mr Maraga said. “That is what we are condemning. We want Kenyans to know that we cannot afford to have him continue. In fact, it would be a disaster if Ruto is re-elected as President of this country.”
Mr Maraga condemned the sale of Safaricom shares by the government, even though it remains one of the most profitable companies in the region.
Safaricom, in its latest financial report, posted a 67.3 percent jump in net profit to Sh100 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, driven by strong growth in M-Pesa, mobile data, and its Ethiopia business.
“That is not a company you sell shares in. Why not sell shares from other parastatals that are not making a profit? He sells Kenya Pipeline Company.... How do you sell a company, a corporation that is handling energy in our country?” Mr Maraga asked.
He criticised the President for his recent remarks in Tanzania, where he announced a multi-billion-dollar joint oil refinery project without consulting his host. Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan only found out about the project through the news, and later publicly asked President Ruto to explain his comments.
“While we were speaking inside, I pressed Ruto and asked him, ‘You went ahead and announced a refinery in Tanga; why was I not aware?' He will explain himself,” President Suluhu noted.
Dr Ruto responded, “I have been informed that my decision to announce the building of a refinery in Tanga has not sat well with you. If I had known, I would have announced that refinery to be built in Mombasa.”
Mr Maraga on Friday said, “I was shocked to see him talking about taking a refinery to Tanga, which the Tanzanian government doesn't know about. He is lying to Kenyans and now Tanzanians. It’s shocking how we can have a President doing that.”
He added, “Let us stand together; let’s get this man out of power so that we can reclaim our country. If we continue like this, our children and grandchildren will not have a country to live in.”
