Maraga Backs Electronic Voting for Kenyans Living Abroad

Former Chief Justice David Maraga has stepped up his outreach to Kenyans in the United States, meeting nearly 300 nurses in Maryland during his ongoing US tour.

The meeting, held in Towson on Saturday, brought together members of the Kenya Nurses Association of America. Discussions focused on the participation of Kenyans abroad in elections, with Maraga backing an amendment to the Elections Act to allow electronic voting for citizens living outside Kenya.

“We are demanding an amendment to the Elections Act to provide for electronic voting for diaspora because that is the voting system we eventually want to have in place,” he said, according to local reports.

Maraga is seeking the presidency under the United Green Movement. He has described his US engagements as an opportunity to hear from Kenyans living abroad and incorporate their views into his campaign.

The diaspora has become an important part of Kenya’s economic and civic life, particularly through remittances and participation in national affairs. The Maryland meeting also gave Maraga an opportunity to engage healthcare professionals whose experiences reflect wider issues affecting Kenya’s health sector and labour migration.

His US tour began in Washington, DC, on 16 September and is scheduled to continue until 5 October. His itinerary includes Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Minnesota, Georgia, Texas and several engagements in Maryland.

The tour follows his earlier Ukatiba Caravan, which covered 43 counties in Kenya. The US programme focuses on diaspora communities and their participation in national affairs.