Maraga Warns Ruto in Fiery Statement “Stop Using Militias Against Citizens.”

 The Former Chief Justice David Maraga

In a powerful and deeply concerning statement issued today, former Chief Justice David Maraga has publicly condemned the use of violence against women and civilians by politically motivated groups. His message, directed at President William Ruto, warns that the deployment of armed militias against peaceful citizens is unconstitutional and risks plunging Kenya into instability and lawlessness.

Maraga was reacting to a disturbing incident where mothers and human rights activists were attacked while gathered at the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) offices in Nairobi. The women, some of whom were mourning loved ones lost to police brutality, had assembled ahead of the Saba Saba Day commemoration to call for justice and accountability. Their peaceful gathering was violently disrupted by hired goons, allegedly under state protection, who physically assaulted several participants including female journalists.

“The use of militias to break up a meeting of mothers protesting the killing of their children is barbaric,” Maraga stated in a post shared on X. “President Ruto must stop using armed militias against citizens. It is unconstitutional and will lead the country into instability and anarchy.”

The former Chief Justice’s condemnation carries immense weight, not only because of his standing in the legal community but also due to his growing visibility as a voice of reason and conscience in the face of state excesses. His statement is the clearest and most direct rebuke yet of what many fear is a dangerous normalization of violence against civilians, especially those daring to question government actions.

This warning comes just a day before the symbolic Saba Saba Day, a historic date associated with democratic struggle in Kenya. With Gen-Z-led protests already shaking the national mood, and incidents of police brutality and suppression rising, Maraga’s voice joins a chorus of concern from human rights defenders, legal scholars, and citizens who feel their constitutional rights are under siege.

Maraga's remarks also raise alarm over the growing pattern of intimidation and violence targeting civic spaces. He framed the attack on KHRC and the grieving mothers not as an isolated incident, but part of a broader trend threatening Kenya’s democracy. His call for President Ruto to uphold the Constitution is not just a legal demand it is a moral and civic one.

As tensions simmer ahead of national demonstrations and political accountability is increasingly demanded from the streets, the gravity of Maraga’s warning cannot be ignored. Kenya is at a crossroads. The choice before its leadership is simple yet profound: embrace dialogue and constitutional order or continue down a path that risks bloodshed, repression, and national disintegration.

In this moment of reckoning, the former Chief Justice has chosen to stand with the people. The question that remains is whether the government will listen or silence more voices in return.

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Reporting by: Kelvin Ng’ang’a. Thika, Kenya – July 8, 2025