Former Chief Justice David Maraga has issued a stinging rebuke to President William Ruto, accusing him of selective accountability in the fight against corruption. In a strongly worded letter released on Wednesday, August 20, Maraga argued that while Members of Parliament may indeed be corrupt, the President himself could not be absolved of similar allegations.
Maraga’s intervention followed Ruto’s recent claim that MPs routinely demand bribes from governors, ministers, and other state officials appearing before parliamentary committees. According to the former CJ, the President’s admission was “extraordinary” but insufficient unless he too opened himself up to scrutiny.
“Kenyans will not accept a one-sided anti-corruption gospel that spares the pulpit while condemning the pews,” Maraga declared. He further alleged that MPs had admitted to receiving bribes from Ruto during the controversial bid to unseat his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua—describing it as “the most diabolical bribing in Kenya’s history.”
Maraga also pointed to shadowy expenditures tied to the President’s countrywide empowerment drives, the missing Ksh44.8 billion from the eCitizen platform, and millions allegedly wired to ghost schools. To restore credibility, he issued four key demands.
First, he called for budget transparency, urging the President to disclose the funding sources, expenditures, and beneficiaries of his cash handouts. Second, he demanded comprehensive investigations into mega scandals, including eCitizen theft and ghost school payments, with findings made public. Third, he pushed for the reinstatement of corruption cases discontinued during the Uhuru era, coupled with the suspension of all implicated officials until cleared by courts. Lastly, he insisted on equal accountability across all arms of government—the executive, parliament, judiciary, and parastatals.
Maraga’s statement came just a day after the Public Accounts Committee directed Senate Speaker Amason Kingi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula to summon the President to present evidence supporting his corruption allegations against MPs.
In response, Ruto announced the formation of a Multi-Agency Team on War Against Graft (MAT), comprising the NIS, EACC, ODPP, and DCI, tasked with leading the government’s anti-corruption crusade.
Maraga’s bold challenge is likely to intensify the debate on corruption, placing pressure on the President to prove his commitment to genuine accountability.
