United Green Movement (UGM) Party co-party leader and 2027 presidential flagbearer David Maraga has called for comprehensive electoral reforms and greater government accountability, accusing state institutions of failing to uphold the interests of Kenyans.
In a Mashujaa Day statement released on October 20, 2026, Maraga said the country was at a critical crossroads, arguing that the constitutional principle of sovereignty belonging to the people was being tested.
“The foundational promise of our Republic — that the sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya, and to them alone — is being tested like never before,” Maraga said.
He paid tribute to Kenya’s historical and contemporary figures who contributed to democratic reforms, constitutional change, institutional independence and the fight against corruption.
Among those he recognised were Jomo Kenyatta, Tom Mboya, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenneth Matiba, Kijana Wamalwa, Martin Shikuku, Martha Karua, Paul Muite and James Orengo. He also acknowledged Cardinal Otunga and Archbishop Ndingi Mwana ’Nzeki for their moral leadership.
Maraga further recognised individuals associated with the 2010 Constitution, including Raila Odinga, Prof Yash Pal Ghai, Dr Willy Mutunga, Dr Crispin Mbai and Nzamba Kitonga.
However, he argued that the struggles of ordinary Kenyans should also be recognised, citing the high cost of living and rising fuel prices, which he attributed to what he described as non-transparent government-to-government deals.
“Our heroes are the millions of ordinary Kenyans enduring an unprecedented high cost of living and skyrocketing fuel prices driven by non-transparent Government-to-Government (G2G) deals,” he said.
The UGM leader praised young people, particularly the Generation Z movement, for demanding accountability from political leaders and insisting on their constitutional right to participate directly in governance.
He said the movement had established a new standard for political accountability, adding that the demand for transparency would remain important beyond the next 295 days.
Maraga also paid tribute to Kenyans who have been killed, abducted or tortured while demanding justice, describing them as martyrs of a new era. He commended traditional and social media platforms that, according to him, continue to demand transparency despite intimidation.
On healthcare, he praised frontline medical professionals for responding to health crises, including Ebola, despite what he described as inadequate government preparedness and systemic theft affecting the health sector.
He also invoked the legacy of Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai, criticising environmental destruction and questioning government spending on foreign climate trips while ecosystems at home face degradation.
Maraga said UGM and its partners in the People’s Coalition on Electoral Reforms would continue pushing for comprehensive electoral reforms.
“We will deliver a credible, transparent election in 2027 and reclaim the soul of our nation,” he said.
He also expressed support for young citizens registering to vote ahead of the 2027 General Election and called for an end to what he termed opportunistic tribal coalitions.
Maraga concluded by urging Kenyans to remain committed to the rule of law, saying the country’s future depended on protecting democratic institutions and ensuring leaders remained accountable to citizens.