Former Chief Justice David Maraga is betting on Kenyans — not political elites — to carry him to State House. And as his campaign gains ground, his team is upgrading its digital platform to keep pace.

In a statement on Wednesday, Maraga’s team announced that the online system supporting his grassroots presidential bid would undergo a technical overhaul. The aim: to improve capacity, security, and user experience amid a surge in public interest.

“We ask that you please be patient with us as we work to stabilise the system,” the statement read. “As those in the digital technology space will understand, this may occasionally require brief maintenance downtime.”

The upgrade includes improvements to fundraising tools, a revamped volunteer portal, and a new feature that will collect public views on his policy priorities. A digital ticker showing real-time donations will also be made more visible.

Since announcing his run, Maraga has made it clear that his campaign will not be fuelled by deep-pocketed financiers but by everyday Kenyans with a stake in the country's future.

“I told you I don’t have money,” he said last week during a TV interview. “I’m appealing to the Kenyan people.”

So far, the response has been swift. Just two days after launching his online fundraising platform, Maraga revealed that Kenyans had contributed Ksh500,000 — including dollars from diaspora supporters.

“Kenyans want change,” he said. “When you see those abroad chipping in, you know it’s not just a campaign — it’s a movement.”

Maraga, known for his no-nonsense tenure as Chief Justice, says one of his key goals is to level the political playing field. He argues that the current system favours the wealthy and sidelines qualified leaders without the backing of major financiers.

“We must reform the electoral system so that any capable Kenyan — not just the rich — can run for office,” he said.

The former top judge has quickly emerged as a serious contender for the presidency, drawing both support and scepticism in a political landscape long dominated by money, tribal alliances, and powerful backroom deals.

His approach — candid, transparent, and centred on public participation — is a marked departure from the norm. Whether it will resonate with voters in the months ahead remains to be seen. But for now, Maraga is staking his campaign on a simple, if ambitious, idea: that Kenyans, not kingmakers, should choose their leaders.