President William Ruto has directed that compensation for victims of past protests be completed by June 2026, covering cases from 2017 to 2024.
Speaking at a joint parliamentary group meeting between UDA and ODM, the Head of State confirmed that the government has allocated KSh 2 billion in the supplementary budget for this process, which has been forwarded to Parliament for approval.
"I took the first step and gazetted a victims' compensation panel. Even as the courts held it, we did some work. We have identified all the victims and profiled their names. We have a comprehensive list of all the victims of protests from 2017," Ruto said.
"It is our belief that unless something happens, we should be able to conclude this exercise before June."
Role of KNCHR
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has been tasked with developing a framework to guide the compensation process.
The commission was given 60 days from the date of the presidential gazette notice to complete the framework and submit a report, a step likely already finalized.
The compensation program was part of the 10-point agreement signed between UDA and ODM following the 2024 protests that led to the formation of the broad-based government.
Background
President Ruto initially set up a compensation panel in 2025, but it was dismissed by the courts for illegitimacy. The courts directed that the appropriate channel for compensating protest victims is through KNCHR.
While financial redress is planned, the President acknowledged that no amount of compensation can bring back lives lost during protests.
Families of deceased victims are included in the compensation exercise, which aims to provide closure and support to those affected by past demonstrations.
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