The United Green Movement: David Maraga's Party

The United Green Movement (UGM) is the party former Chief Justice David Maraga is using to run for president in 2027. He joined it on 2 October 2025 as a "Founder Member" and its presidential flag-bearer, a choice UGM says its National Delegates Conference is to confirm in early 2027. The party is co-led by Agostinho Neto, the former Ndhiwa MP, and Chelagat Torome, Capital FM reported. As of 23 September 2026 Maraga was touring the United States and fronting a coalition of politicians demanding electoral reforms from the IEBC.

Why Maraga chose it

Maraga declared in June 2025 that he would run for president, and spent the next four months without a party. Capital FM reported on 2 October 2025 that he had "settled on" UGM at its Nairobi headquarters. In his first speech as flag-bearer, as published by the party, he said finding a party that matched his values had not been easy. "UGM is one of the very few political parties in Kenya that stands for constitutionalism and the rule of law," he said.

The party describes its manifesto as five pillars: youth unemployment, the economy, the environment, the rule of law and social justice. Its first act with Maraga in the room was to hand nomination certificates to its candidates for the by-elections then coming up, including Dr Benson Obo Otieno for Ugunja in Siaya.

What Maraga brings is his record on the bench. He was Chief Justice from 2016 to 2021, and presided over the Supreme Court that annulled the August 2017 presidential election. What UGM brings is a registered party, which a presidential candidate needs and a personal following does not provide. Why that matters is explained in a movement without a party cannot put anyone on a ballot.

The green part

UGM has kept to its name. It has issued statements condemning the government's decision to lift the logging ban in the Mau Forest Complex, and, People Daily reported on 31 July 2026, faulted the government over the death of 15 elephants in Amboseli. A party statement accused the administration of destroying urban tree cover in Nairobi and called its 15 billion trees programme a failure.

Maraga himself was arrested on 8 June 2026 while protesting against planned construction inside Nairobi National Park, the Associated Press reported. He said he was on his way to hand a petition to the Kenya Wildlife Service. He was released later that day. The KWS had defended the construction as an expansion of the animal orphanage.

How the campaign is organised

Maraga named his campaign's leadership on 20 July 2026, Tuko reported: Mkawasi Mcharo, a US-based diaspora organiser, as co-executive director for strategy, policy and diaspora affairs, and the journalist David Makali as communication coordinator. The secretariat is in Kileleshwa, Nairobi.

On 31 August 2026 he published the report of the National Taskforce on Police Reforms, which he had chaired and handed to President William Ruto in November 2023, saying he would do so himself if the government did not. On 17 September he flew to Washington to start a US tour that was scheduled to run until 5 October.

The party has had one public embarrassment. In June 2026 Shakira Wafula, a former member of the campaign team, accused the campaign on X of mishandling sexual harassment complaints against a party official. UGM's secretary general, Katto Wambui, issued a 23-point response saying the accused was not Maraga, that internal hearings were held and that the complainant did not appear to prove her case, Tuko reported. The allegations have not been tested in any court.

UGM and the rest of the opposition

Maraga was not among the leaders reported at the united opposition principals' meeting of 1 September 2026, but he has not stayed out of the unity talks. On 19 June 2026 he met Fred Matiang'i, and both men described it as part of consultations on opposition unity, Tuko reported. "The overarching goal remains forming a government based on constitutionalism and rule of law," Maraga said.

His main political platform in September 2026 was the People's Coalition on Electoral Reforms, which on 15 September set out five demands for the IEBC with Justin Muturi, Ekuru Aukot and MPs Caleb Amisi (Saboti) and Caroli Omondi (Suba South). Those demands are covered in Maraga's reform coalition, and the man himself in who is David Maraga.

What to watch

Whether UGM can field candidates below the presidency in enough counties to give Maraga weight in any coalition talks. Whether Maraga joins a single opposition ticket or runs on UGM's own. And the party's delegates' conference in early 2027, which the party says will formally confirm him. Like every party, UGM's route to the ballot runs through the 15 October and 30 October deadlines.