Former CJ David Maraga has launched an unlikely political campaign fueled not by tycoons or powerbrokers, but by ordinary Kenyans giving as little as Sh50. The former Chief Justice opened his presidential campaign website, davidmaraga.com, on July 18. Within 48 hours, his team reported more than Sh500,000 raised a signal, they say, that Kenyans are ready for a new kind of leadership.
“I don’t have much money. I will put in maybe Sh1 million or Sh2 million,” former CJ Maraga said at the launch. “We’re asking Kenyans to help. Sh50, Sh100, anything. Whatever we don’t use will go to a public cause.” Former CJ Maraga’s campaign slogan, “Reset, Restore, and Rebuild Kenya,” targets a frustrated electorate. His strategy is centered on small contributions, positioning his candidacy as people-driven and free from elite influence. Supporters are calling themselves the “Sh50-bob army,” and they’re pushing back against Kenya’s entrenched political culture, where presidential campaigns have traditionally relied on billion-shilling donations from wealthy backers.
Analysts say former CJ Maraga’s early fundraising success shows that public discontent with President William Ruto’s government may be fueling this grassroots surge.
Rising prices, increased taxes, and what many see as a lack of accountability have stirred dissatisfaction among youth and working-class citizens.Former CJ Maraga’s message is reaching them where they are on their phones, online, and in neighborhoods where cost of living is no longer just a talking point.
Political analysts following the campaign note that while the amount raised so far is modest, it reflects something deeper than money.
“This isn’t about matching billions. It’s about ownership. People giving small amounts feel part of the mission. That’s powerful,“ said one political analyst.
President Ruto’s 2022 campaign was built on large-scale funding, supported by deep-pocketed allies and a sophisticated ground operation. Maraga’s effort, by contrast, has been driven entirely by volunteers, online organizing, and public contributions.
Still, the skepticism is strong. Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei dismissed the idea outright. “You cannot run a presidential campaign with Sh500,000. You need at least Sh7 billion to be serious,” Senator Cheragei said during a recent interview.
Critics have also pointed out that much larger sums have been raised for other causes in minutes. But former CJ Maraga’s backers argue that this slow build is intentional and meant to show lasting commitment not a quick headline. At the center of the campaign is transparency. The website allows users to donate, sign up to volunteer, and submit policy ideas. It also tracks funds raised, adding a level of openness not often seen in Kenyan politics.
Former CJ Maraga’s approach draws on Kenya’s deep history with harambee community-driven fundraising that has built schools, hospitals, and social services.
“This is a movement. Kenyans have suffered. They want to reclaim their country,” former CJ Maraga told supporters at the launch. “We don’t need to be owned by billionaires to fix Kenya.”
Whether the “Sh50-bob army” can sustain this pace remains to be seen. But in a political field long dominated by wealth and party machines, Maraga’s quiet rise is shifting the conversation and testing whether ordinary Kenyans are ready to back a candidate with their coins, not just their complaints.
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