Former CJ cites rising police brutality and constitutional crisis in unprecedented call for regime change
NAIROBI, Kenya – Former Chief Justice David Maraga has issued an unprecedented demand for the immediate shutdown of President William Ruto’s administration, citing the death of blogger Albert Omondi Ojwang in police custody as evidence of a “constitutional and moral crisis.”
In a statement released Tuesday through his presidential campaign secretariat, Maraga accused the government of enabling “lawlessness, brutality, and widespread human rights abuses,” declaring that Ojwang’s death represents “the last straw” in what he describes as a pattern of state-sponsored violence.
The former chief justice’s call comes after forensic pathologist Bernard Midia released autopsy findings that directly contradict official police accounts of Ojwang’s death.
Leading a team of five experts at Nairobi Funeral Home, Midia concluded that the activist’s injuries were “consistent with a physical struggle” and unlikely to be self-inflicted.
“When you combine all the injuries in the body, they are consistent with a struggle,” Midia stated. “The injuries were widespread across the body, including the head, back, and limbs.”
Police had claimed Ojwang fatally injured himself by hitting his head against a wall while in custody at Central Police Station, Nairobi.
The blogger had been arrested over social media posts regarding alleged corruption linked to Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Langat.
Maraga’s statement presents disturbing statistics, claiming that enforced disappearances and police killings have risen by 450 percent over the past year under the Ruto administration.
The former chief justice characterized this as evidence of “geometric progression” in state repression.
“We refuse to be a country where parents have their children kidnapped in broad daylight, tortured, and killed by state-sponsored terror,” the statement declared.
“It is not normal, not acceptable and totally indefensible for enforced disappearance to rise by 450% in one year.”
In his most dramatic demand yet, Maraga called for what he terms a “national reset” based on rule of law, human dignity, and institutional accountability.
The former chief justice, who appears to be positioning himself for a potential presidential run with his “Maraga ’27” campaign, argued that the current administration has lost its legitimacy to govern.
“It is abundantly clear that this regime will not and cannot govern,” Maraga stated.
“We now demand the regime shut down and make way for a reset to the rule of law and accountability; a restoration to the values respecting human life; and a rebuilding of our nation’s institutions that now point towards State failure.”
The Maraga statement, issued just two days after an initial press release on June 8, links Ojwang’s death to what it describes as a systematic pattern of state repression.
The campaign highlighted concerns about digital rights, noting that both Ojwang and another blogger, Kelvin Moinde, were arrested over online posts.
“Digital rights must be protected as human rights to ensure the freedom of expression and access to information,” the statement emphasized.
“That this regime can kill, kidnap and torture anyone over the use of digital spaces speaks to the government’s loss of legitimacy.”
Maraga’s intervention carries significant weight given his former position as the country’s top judicial officer from 2016 to 2021.
His demand for regime shutdown represents one of the most direct challenges to President Ruto’s administration from a former high-ranking official.
The timing is particularly sensitive, coming nearly one year after what Maraga describes as the beginning of increased state violence against young Kenyans.
As of press time, the Ruto administration had not issued an official response to Maraga’s demands.
However, the government faces mounting pressure from multiple quarters, with ODM leaders calling for the resignation of Deputy Inspector General Lagat and Senator Crystal Asige demanding the dismissal of Inspector General Kanja.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has ordered the Security Committee to table a report on Ojwang’s death within 48 hours, indicating that the matter will receive parliamentary scrutiny.
Maraga’s statement frames the current situation as both a constitutional and moral crisis, arguing that the administration has abandoned fundamental principles of governance.
The former chief justice emphasized that the country must “draw the line against impunity and the breakdown of the rule of law.”
The use of hashtags #ThePeopleShall and #ResetRebuildRestore in Maraga’s social media posts suggests an attempt to mobilize public opinion around his demands for regime change.
