Maraga to launch 'LindaKura' initiative ahead of 2027 polls

Former Chief Justice David Maraga has announced plans to launch a nationwide initiative dubbed 'LindaKura'.

In a statement shared on his social media platforms, Maraga said the campaign will seek to safeguard electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 general polls following the just-concluded Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.

The former Chief Justice said the campaign aims to build on the High Court ruling that confirmed election results announced at polling stations are final.

“In the coming weeks, my campaign will launch the #LindaKura initiative to consolidate the gains in the High Court ruling confirming that elections as announced at the polling station are final,” he said.

Maraga made the announcement while reflecting on the Ol Kalou by-election, which saw Democratic Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Douglas Waweru secure a landslide victory over United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah, among other candidates.

The former CJ congratulated the people of Ol Kalou for what he described as standing firm despite intimidation during the electoral process.

“I applaud the people of Ol Kalou, who endured intimidation with more courage and for standing firm,” he said.

He further claimed that the experiences witnessed during the by-election should serve as a wake-up call for Kenyans ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Maraga, who served as Kenya's Chief Justice and previously presided over landmark election disputes, said he could not remain silent while the standards of free and fair elections were, in his view, being undermined.

“I have sat as Chief Justice of this Republic and adjudicated on what a free and fair election means. I will not now stand by and watch that standard be quietly buried ahead of the 2027 elections,” he stated.

He argued that the Ol Kalou contest carried significance beyond the constituency, describing it as a precursor to the country's 2027 polls.

“Ol Kalou was not a local contest. It is a rehearsal for 2027, and Kenyans must see it as such,” Maraga said.

His remarks follow his earlier condemnation of the violence witnessed during the Ol Kalou by-election.

In a previous statement, the former Chief Justice also denounced the assault on members of the press by hooded gunmen.

"We condemn the assault on the press by hooded gunmen, whose clear mission is to conceal evidence of electoral malpractice and gross violations of human rights. This is not democracy. This is impunity wearing the mask of an election," Maraga said.

He argued that journalists play a critical role in ensuring transparency during elections and should be allowed to carry out their duties without intimidation or violence.

Maraga also urged authorities to hold those responsible accountable, warning that failure to do so could erode public confidence in the country's democratic institutions.