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Former Chief Justice David Maraga has penned a reflective message as the year comes to an end, castigating the ills bedevilling the country.

He, however, regretted the killing, torture and abduction of people in the country perceived to be critics of the Kenya-Kwanza administration, noting that the dignity of every citizen must be safeguarded.

“This year has not been easy for many families. The killing, maiming and abduction of young Kenyans has put to serious test our institutions. It demands a moral response. If we are truly a people sworn to the sanctity of life and the dignity of every citizen, then we must stand bold in the truth of our Constitution,” Maraga said.

“I condemn the killing, torture and abductions and call for the immediate release of the youth still held unlawfully. Our politics must never again be this heartless and uncaring.”

Hails Gen Zs’ uprising

In an emotional appeal to the state and Kenyans at large, Maraga lauded the youth for holding public officers to account on governance, taxation and human rights, noting that the trend will have to continue into 2025.

“This is the vision that was at the heart of the June-July national protests dubbed “Gen Z”. It was the desire of Kenyans from all walks of life to take charge of our collective destiny. It was a desire to address the culture of impunity and confront the outright callousness and unresponsive attitudes to genuine issues of public concern,” Maraga remarked.

Adding: “The cries of pain and outrage we saw this year were sparked by the erosion of basic dignity and economic mismanagement. We must urgently address the decline in vital sectors such as education and health. We must reset the economy to create decent jobs for our youth and restructure our tax regime to guarantee fairness and sustainability of the tax burden. This is possible. The country has done this before and can do it again.”

New year message

Maraga urged Kenyans to practice integrity as ordinary citizens and office bearers, observing that 2025 must be that of standing firmly for constitutionalism, the rule of law, justice and safeguarding the collective destiny.

“As we usher in the New Year, I call upon all of us to reflect on the promise we made to ourselves 14 years ago. We defined a clear path for our future. We set down the values of governance, ethics, and standards of excellence as our guiding light,” he noted.

Adding: “Let us determine that 2025 is the year that these values become an inseparable part of us. It must also be the year of accountability for those who caused so much pain to Kenyans in 2024.”