Former Chief Justice and United Green Movement (UGM) Party presidential aspirant David Maraga has criticised the government over what he termed as poor implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), warning that gaps in the transition to Grade 10 risk locking out thousands of learners across the country.
Speaking in Kisumu on Thursday during a UGM forum for young political aspirants, Maraga said official reports portraying the rollout as a success do not reflect realities on the ground, with many schools struggling to absorb learners due to inadequate preparation.
“While we are told transition rates are high, what we see in many schools is very different. Some institutions have not registered even ten learners. Losing even one child because of systemic failure is unacceptable,” he said.
Maraga warned that teachers and schools were ill-prepared to handle the demands of the new education system, describing the rollout as rushed and poorly planned.
The government, he added, was treating Grade 10 rollout as a pilot putting the future of thousands of learners across the country at risk.
He linked the education sector challenges to what he described as a wider governance crisis characterised by corruption, poor planning and misplaced priorities.
According to Maraga, Kenya’s economic struggles were not the result of scarcity but of elite capture and misuse of public resources.
“Kenya is a very rich country, but resources are controlled by a few. About 125 individuals own wealth equivalent to what 42.5 million Kenyans own. When we are told the economy is doing well, it is doing well for a few, while the rest of the country is in agony,” he said.
Maraga also took aim at government handout programmes, including the World Bank-funded Nyota Fund, arguing that cash transfers were being used as political tools rather than sustainable solutions to youth unemployment.
“Giving someone Sh. 50,000 may look good, but it is not sustainable and it does not reach everyone. These are borrowed public funds running into billions, yet only a few benefit,” he said.
He questioned the transparency of the programme, asking whether it had a clear budget line and whether all eligible youth would have equal access.
Maraga said public funds, whether grants, borrowed or raised through taxation, should be invested in long-term systems that strengthen education, create jobs and improve healthcare, rather than short-term interventions aimed at political appeasement.
He accused the government of prioritising short-term political survival over structural reforms, warning that such approaches were set to deepen inequality and push the country into unsustainable debt.
“Despite claims that the economy is doing well, doctors are on strike, children are out of school and essential services are deteriorating. Public debt is now consuming more than 70 per cent of national income annually, which is not sustainable,” he said.
Maraga was addressing about 50 to 60 young aspirants from across the country attending a UGM training on party values, constitution, leadership and grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
He said the party’s politics was anchored on integrity and accountability, adding that UGM would maintain zero tolerance for corruption and misuse of public resources.
“As a party, we reject handouts and corruption. Our campaign is value-based and focused on building systems that serve all Kenyans,” he said, adding that the party was open to working with like-minded political groups committed to good governance.
Maraga also announced plans for a nationwide voter registration drive beginning on 1st February, targeting young people and unregistered citizens.
“The only way to dismantle corrupt systems is through the vote. A voter card is your most powerful tool,” he said.
By Chris Mahandara
