By Nyang’au Araka
Kenyans are defying long-held political tradition by opening their wallets to support politicians.
Already, former Chief Justice David Maraga is attracting financial support rarely seen in the country’s politics.
In a statement shared on X, Maraga revealed that 1,834 supporters have so far contributed a total of Ksh.7.74 million towards his campaign, a figure largely driven by Kenyans living abroad.
“I am deeply grateful to the 1,834 of you who have made a financial contribution to our campaign, with a total of KES 7,745,788.04 so far,” Maraga said.
He singled out the diaspora for playing a decisive role, noting that their contributions account for more than Ksh.6 million of the amount raised.
“I am particularly thankful to the Kenyans in the Diaspora who have made a significant contribution of more than six million shillings, which has boosted our efforts immensely,” he said.
Political fundraising in Kenya has traditionally relied on wealthy individuals and closed-door networks, with ordinary citizens rarely contributing directly to politicians’ campaigns.
The public fundraising around Maraga is a good pointer given that most Kenyans are used to receiving money from politicians and not the other way round.
Maraga said the funds will be used to finance the #UkatibaCaravan, a nationwide civic education initiative focused on increasing voter registration among young people.
He described the effort as part of a broader push to strengthen constitutionalism and democratic participation.
“In the spirit of transparent and accountable campaign fundraising, we are embarking with these funds on the #UkatibaCaravan,” he said.
The campaign targets the mobilisation of young voters under the banner #GenZ15MillionStrong, reflecting an ambition to significantly increase youth participation ahead of the next general election.
Maraga, who is a new entrant in the political space, has positioned his bid around constitutional fidelity, accountability and the rule of law, themes closely associated with his tenure as Chief Justice.
He has invited Kenyans to join the #UkatibaMovement by contributing through M-Pesa, credit card, PayPal or Stripe.