The Tuesday meeting, which primarily included Gen Z activists,
comes at a time when young people are actively pushing for governance reforms
in Kenya.
In a video that has since gone viral, Maraga is seen
joining the group in singing a popular liberation song that gained prominence
during the 2024 anti-government protests.
Following the meeting on Tuesday, Maraga took to his
official social media page, expressing his support for the youth-led movement.
"The youth’s struggle for a better Kenya deserves
all our support," he wrote.
"Thank you, @Nyamisa_Chela, and your team for the courtesy call. I was inspired by your passion and commitment to transforming
Kenya into a better place for everyone," Maraga added.
The fast-rising youth movement has been at the
forefront of civil society’s push for accountability, better governance, and
constitutionalism.
In the viral video, Maraga is seen joining in the
patriotic song that Gen Z activists sang while honouring victims of last year’s
anti-government protests.
The Swahili song’s lyrics revolve around the theme of
youth sacrificing themselves for the country’s greater good.
Rights activist Nyamisa Chelagat, who was part of the
delegation, described the meeting as a significant moment in their struggle for
governance reforms.
"We paid a courtesy call on @dkmaraga. We updated
him on the movement's fight for good governance, the rule of law, and
constitutionalism—issues he deeply relates to. We inducted him into the
movement; he sang with us as we welcomed him to the struggle to liberate
Kenya," Nyamisa said.
Since retiring as Chief Justice, Maraga has largely
maintained a low profile but has occasionally spoken out against government
excesses, abductions and extrajudicial killings.
He is seen as one of the country’s foremost human
rights defenders and one of the leaders with impeccable credentials having
annulled the 2017 presidential elections.
Last week, he warned that the continued abductions and
killings threaten the legitimacy of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
His latest meeting with activists has fueled social
media discussions, with many calling for him to either run for the presidency
in 2027 or apply for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)
chairperson position.
However, Maraga has not declared any political ambitions
or expressed interest in the IEBC role.
He strongly condemned the rising cases of abductions
and extrajudicial killings, describing them as a betrayal of Kenya’s future and
a violation of the Constitution.
"A leadership that abets a culture of killings
and human rights violations jeopardizes its legitimacy," he stated.
Maraga emphasized that every Kenyan, especially the
youth, deserves to live in safety and security while pursuing their dreams.
"We cannot be lulled into complacency in the face of such assaults on our shared humanity," he added.