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Maraga hits out at Ruto over death of elderly man in cash handout stampede
Former Chief Justice David Maraga laid the death of a 97-year-old man in Bomachoge Chache at the President’s door. Mzee Ombui Orandi died in a stampede following a presidential address, where residents were allegedly scrambling for Sh200 cash handouts.
Presidential hopeful David Maraga has launched a scathing attack on President William Ruto's administration, accusing it of rampant corruption that has caused the country to suffer various challenges that could have been prevented.
The former Chief Justice stated that those draining the country’s resources are the very individuals entrusted with their care.
"It is like having a herder for your livestock, and then he steals from you. That is very clear; we are not saying anything out of the blue," said Mr Maraga, noting that the current fuel crisis is indicative of the challenges caused by corruption.
The Green Movement (UGM) Party presidential flag bearer addressed mourners at Riangabi Primary School during the burial of Mama Rose Nyabate Ontomwa, mother of KTN journalist Francis Ontomwa.
"You have all witnessed the ongoing fuel crisis that has led to increased prices. You all know how the prices were hiked. President Ruto said he would bring fuel to the country through a government-to-government arrangement," Mr Maraga said.
He pointed out that in other countries, parastatal bodies manage fuel, while in Kenya, the Kenya Pipeline Company has been sidelined in favour of private companies.
From left: Former Kenya Pipeline Company MD Joe Sang, outgoing Petroleum PS Mohamed LIban and outgoing EPRA DG Daniel Kiptoo. The trio resigned amid investigations into the procurement of substandard fuel.
He alleged that senior officials in President Ruto's administration have directly profited from oil supply tenders, by-passing the Kenya Pipeline Company and thereby burdening Kenyans with inflated fuel costs.
This, Maraga asserted, represents a profound conflict of interest at the highest levels of government.
Mr Maraga stated that he is seeking the presidency for two reasons: first, to ensure everyone follows the law regardless of their status in society.
"No senior officer will commit a crime and go unpunished. They must be held accountable. In my presidency, that will not happen. I will be the first to obey the law, and everyone else will follow suit," said Mr Maraga.
He added, "I will face corruption head-on. What has ruined our country is corruption. I have had the privilege to travel around the world, and I can tell you we have a great country. But our greatness is declining."
Mr Maraga painted a stark picture of Kenya's economic decline, attributing it directly to systemic governance failures and the alleged self-enrichment of President Ruto's leadership.
United Green Movement (UGM) presidential candidate David Maraga speaks to the media at Moi International Airport in Mombasa on February 2, 2026.
The former Chief Justice, who presided over the Supreme Court from October 2016 to January 2021, stated he will continue criticising the government's wrongdoings, emphasising that it is time for Kenyans to come together and condemn what is undermining the country.
"Many Christians have asked me why I criticise those in authority. They tell me to stop doing politics because I am a church elder. But I usually tell them to read the Bible: when the righteous are in authority, people rejoice; when the wicked are in authority, people mourn," he said.
He added, "We have never reached this level of corruption as a country. All that is happening benefits specific individuals. Those bringing fuel through corrupt means are the ones supposed to safeguard it."
Mr Maraga, now seeking to become Kenya's sixth president, also critically examined the execution of the e-citizen platform, particularly its connection with the Social Health Authority (SHA).
He expressed concern over the government's tendency to favour foreign companies over local talent, contrasting it with his experience as Chief Justice.
During his leadership of the judiciary, Maraga introduced an e-filing system developed by Kenyan professionals, significantly improving court operations and reducing corruption.
Renowned for his steadfast dedication to the rule of law and integrity—having famously promised never to accept a bribe during his vetting—Maraga also criticised the pervasive bribery culture.
He highlighted incidents of handouts during presidential visits, notably a recent trip by President Ruto to the Gusii region.
Mr Maraga blamed the political class for what he termed a growing culture of dependency, even as he criticised the government over the death of a 97-year-old man in Egetuki, Bomachoge Chache.
"The death of the old man in Egetuki is blood on the hands of the President himself... you know we have turned our people into beggars,” Mr Maraga said.
Mzee Ombui Orandi died in a stampede after being caught up in chaos that erupted moments after a presidential address on Wednesday, where residents were allegedly scrambling for cash handouts.
The deceased's family claims that moments after the President concluded his address, residents were called back into the field, where a scramble for money, doled out at Sh 200 each by a local politician, turned chaotic, resulting in a deadly stampede.
Mr Maraga encouraged Kenyans to register in large numbers, framing the upcoming election as a vital chance to "send President Ruto home."
Maraga's judicial legacy includes a strong defence of constitutionalism, marked by his landmark annulment of the 2017 presidential election and his bold recommendation to dissolve Parliament for failing to achieve gender quotas.
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