Ex-CJ Maraga Reveals Battle With Alcohol and What Made Him Quit

Former Chief Justice David Maraga has opened up about his long-standing battle with alcohol, detailing how his drinking habit started in his teen years and what finally made him overcome it for good. In an interview with Oga Obina, the former CJ traced his drinking history back to his days at Maranda High School.

Maraga said though he was brought up and baptized in the Seventh Day Adventist church while still in primary school, he fell into alcohol use when he joined a group of friends who influenced his behavior.

“I was baptised into the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church when I was in primary school and I was a well-behaved boy. But at Maranda High School, I fell in with the wrong crowd, and that’s when I started drinking,” Maraga said.

The habit intensified over the years. He said his drinking became heavier during his final two years at Kisii High School and persisted through university life.

“By the time I was at Kisii High School for my final two years, I was drinking more heavily. It continued during university and even when I began my professional life, until I decided to stop,” he added.

Maraga also shared incidents from his early legal career that showed the risks of his alcohol consumption. For instance, after going to Nairobi over the weekend to file documents at the lands registry, he ran out of fuel on his way back to Nakuru.

“I ended up in Nyamakima, where some people helped me get passengers who contributed fuel so I could get back,” he said. He recalled that his drinking even contributed to a minor car accident, reinforcing the risks he was taking.

The turning point came after a night out at the army barracks in Nakuru, where he drank until 2am. The next morning delivered a sobering realization. “The next morning, I couldn’t even remember how I got home. I realised I could have died, and that’s when I decided to quit completely,” he explained.

Determined to turn his life around, Maraga went back to church on January 1, 1991, a commitment he has maintained ever since. “I went to church that day and never looked back,” he added.

Maraga later rose to become Kenya’s 14th Chief Justice, serving from October 2016 until his retirement in January 2021. On June 18, he announced that he will run for president in the 2027 general election.

Reflecting on his decision, he said, “After talking with friends and thinking deeply about the country’s future, I concluded that it’s time to take responsibility for our nation’s leadership. We cannot allow others to lead us into ruin. That reflection led me to decide to run for president in 2027.”

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