Maraga Slams Government Over Billions Sent to Swiss Accounts Through eTA Programme
Former Chief Justice David Maraga has strongly criticized the Kenyan government after it publicly admitted that money collected through the Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) programme had been transferred to a Swiss bank account.
In a detailed and strongly worded statement released on Tuesday morning, Maraga said the move was a serious violation of the Constitution.
He pointed out that such actions only add to Kenya’s long list of unresolved corruption scandals that continue to haunt the country.
According to Maraga, the law clearly states that any money collected by the government through service payments must be deposited directly into the Consolidated Fund.
He questioned why the government ignored this legal requirement and instead chose to transfer the funds abroad.
The former Chief Justice also raised concerns about the role of Parliament. He wondered why lawmakers—who are supposed to oversee how public money is used—were not involved in approving the pilot phase of the eTA programme.
He demanded answers about who signed off on the offshore account, why the money had to be sent to Switzerland, and who the account’s signatories were.
“This is just one more in a long line of scandals in our country’s history—most of which have never faced proper legal action,” Maraga stated. “The Constitution is very clear: all government-collected funds must go to the Consolidated Fund. Why was that not done in this case?”
He went on to ask, “Was Parliament ever consulted or did it approve this so-called pilot programme? Why choose Swiss accounts, especially given their reputation for secrecy? Who are the people in control of these accounts?
How can Kenyans be sure this isn’t just another hidden scam aimed at benefiting a few powerful individuals? And more importantly, have the funds now been transferred back to the Consolidated Fund?”
Maraga noted that the Kenyan people continue to suffer economically because of the government’s failure to be open and accountable when dealing with public funds.
He blamed the worsening living conditions on the lack of financial transparency and called for urgent reforms.
“The root cause of the economic hardships facing ordinary Kenyans is the continued lack of transparency and accountability in the management of public resources,” he said.
“It’s the ordinary mwananchi who feels the pain the most, while the powerful remain untouched.”
He stressed that Kenya urgently needs to return to core values, a clear national vision, and full adherence to the rule of law.
He called on citizens to stand up and demand the removal of corrupt political leaders and the powerful cartels who have continuously exploited the country for personal gain.
“Kenya needs to reset—go back to basics. We need leaders who uphold strong values, a clear vision for the country, and respect for the Constitution.
We must not fear. It’s time to remove leaders and cartels who continue to inflict deep harm on the lives of Kenyans,” Maraga concluded.
In response to the rising concerns, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura addressed the issue on Monday, April 14.
He explained that the transfer of funds to Switzerland happened during a test phase of the eTA system, which was part of a joint project between the Kenyan government and a Swiss company.
“There was a piloting phase for the eTA programme. This was a collaboration between the Kenyan government and a Swiss firm,” Mwaura said, noting that the pilot stage has already been completed.
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