I No Longer Have a Private Life, Chief Justice Maraga Opens Up

Chief Justice David Maraga has opened up about how his life took a different turn after being named the President of the Judiciary in September, 2016.

Speaking during an interview with the Daily Nation, Maraga said that his private life become the greatest casualty of the position he holds, even though he is now used to the pressure that comes with being Chief Justice.

“I miss my private life. Before I was appointed CJ, I would attend public functions unnoticed and enjoy listening to people – the way they interact. That has of course completely changed,” says Maraga.

“I now have limited private life. I am not saying I have to hide from anything. In any case I don’t want to hide anything in my life. But I have accepted that as the nature of the public office the Kenyans have privileged me to occupy,” he adds.

Asked on what he does during the little time he is free, he said: “I pray, I meet friends and we talk as long as they do not engage me on any matters in court and I love that. But some of my friends have been missing. They need to come and say ‘Look, we know you have got challenging decisions but we wish you the best’. Of course I also play some games which are good for my health."

Maraga, whose position has earned him love and hate in equal measure, says his goal is to make the Kenyan judiciary an institution that is respected and that which every Kenyan would have faith that he can get justice from.

Asked to comment on the attacks on the judiciary by politicians during the electioneering period, he noted: “Those attacks were unfair and unfortunate as they endangered the lives of judges and other staff. The attacks affected me and my family. But I took them in my stride as the utterances were made in the heat of the moment and I urged my family to view them in the same manner."

“The Lord gave me peace of mind that surpasses all understanding and I successfully soldiered on to the end.”

“There was no political pressure at all. If you take time and read through the decisions of the two petitions, you will see why we decided each the way we decided,” he says.