Maraga Reveals Pressure After Supreme Court Overturned Uhuru’s 2017 Election
Former Chief Justice David Maraga has revealed the intense pressure, threats and emotional strain he endured following the Supreme Court’s historic decision to annul former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s 2017 election victory.
Speaking on Monday, November 24, during an interview on Oga Obinna TV, Maraga recounted how the fallout from the ruling quickly escalated into a period of fear and uncertainty for him and his family.
Maraga, who has since declared interest in contesting the 2027 presidential election, said the backlash began almost immediately after he delivered what he described as a “candid, open and evidence-based judgment.” Despite the detailed reasoning provided, he said the ruling provoked widespread criticism and hostility.
According to the former Chief Justice, his family became particularly alarmed after then-President Uhuru Kenyatta publicly criticised the court and vowed to “revisit” the matter—a remark that has remained politically contentious in Kenya’s recent history.
“The responsibility the President said he would revisit, and my family were scared when I got threats of plans to attack me,” Maraga recalled. “It was heavy, and I got prepared for the backlash. I was abused left, right and centre.”
Maraga insisted that the court’s decision was grounded strictly in the constitutional principles governing elections and the evidence presented before the Supreme Court. He explained that the judges were unanimous in assessing the election as a process rather than a single event.
“When you get the evidence—as we said in that judgment—elections are not an event; they are a process, starting from voter registration,” he said. “All in all, four of us were not satisfied that the presidential elections met the threshold, and we nullified it.”
Despite what he described as “heavy backlash,” Maraga clarified that neither he nor any member of his family was physically attacked, though the psychological pressure and public hostility were severe.
The nullification of the 2017 presidential election on September 1, 2017, remains one of the most consequential moments in Kenya’s judicial and political history. The ruling—supported by four of the six Supreme Court judges—found that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had failed to conduct a credible poll, citing irregularities and illegalities in the transmission and verification of results. The court ordered a fresh election within 60 days.
The decision marked the first time in Africa that a court had overturned a presidential election, prompting global attention and intense local debate.
Following the ruling, Uhuru Kenyatta—then running alongside William Ruto—initially expressed respect for the Supreme Court but sharply criticised the judges and warned that the judiciary might be “revisited,” remarks that drew concern from legal experts and civil society organisations.
Maraga’s latest reflections come as he seeks to position himself on the national political stage ahead of 2027, invoking his judicial legacy and the courage he says was required to deliver a ruling that reshaped Kenya’s electoral landscape.
Maraga Reveals Pressure After Supreme Court Overturned Uhuru’s 2017 Election