The sleeping giant of the coast is being shaken awake. Retired Chief Justice David Maraga, now a presidential aspirant with his eyes fixed on 2027, has rolled his "Ukatiba Caravan" into Lamu County, bringing a message of constitutional reclamation and civic awakening to the island archipelago.

Maraga, a man whose gavel once shook the foundations of the presidency, is now using a megaphone to shake the apathy of the electorate. The Lamu tour is the latest stop in his nationwide campaign, fueled by a crowdfunding war chest of over Ksh 7.7 million. His mission is precise and ambitious: to register the youth, the "Gen Z," and turn their demographic numbers into a political tsunami.

"We cannot complain about bad leadership if we do not show up to choose the good," Maraga told a town hall meeting, his trademark gravitas now repurposed for the campaign trail. The "Ukatiba" (Constitution) movement is pitching itself not just as a political party, but as a return to the rule of law and ethical governance—principles Maraga embodied on the bench.

The Gen Z Factor

The Caravan is riding the wave of the #GenZ15MillionStrong movement. Maraga has explicitly targeted the youth, a demographic that has historically been disenfranchised or disinterested. By framing the vote as a tool of protest and power, he is attempting to convert the energy of street protests into the currency of ballot papers. Lamu, with its unique challenges of land rights and marginalization, is fertile ground for this message.

The funds for this caravan were raised from ordinary Kenyans—a deliberate strategy to show that this is a people-owned movement. "I am not sponsored by the cartels," Maraga declared, distancing himself from the traditional money-bags of Kenyan politics. "I am sponsored by you."

• Civic Education Reboot: The caravan is not just about speeches; it is a mobile classroom. Workshops are being held to teach citizens their rights under the 2010 Constitution, a document Maraga defended fiercely in court.
• Coastal Grievances: In Lamu, the message resonates deeply. Issues of historical land injustices and the impact of the LAPSSET project have left locals feeling unheard. Maraga's promise of constitutionalism offers a legal framework for their grievances.

From Courtroom to Campaign Trail

The transition from judge to politician is fraught with risk, but Maraga seems to be navigating it by remaining true to his brand: the incorruptible elder statesman. The Ukatiba Caravan is testing whether integrity can sell in a political marketplace often dominated by tribal arithmetic and cash handouts.

As the caravan moves through the narrow streets of Lamu, the question is whether Maraga can turn admiration into votes. He has the respect of the nation, but 2027 will determine if he has its heart.