By Kamadi Amata
The Government has announced a KSh 2 billion compensation plan for victims of past protests and demonstrations across the country, with payouts expected to be concluded by June 2026.
Speaking during a joint parliamentary group meeting bringing together lawmakers from the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), President William Ruto assured the nation that mechanisms are fully in place to ensure affected families and individuals are compensated transparently.
The financial support will primarily target the families of those who lost their lives, individuals who sustained injuries, and people who experienced human rights violations during the demonstrations.
According to the Head of State, the government has already compiled a comprehensive list of genuine victims in collaboration with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). Notably, the compensation framework will cover victims of protest-related violence dating as far back as 2017.
“We have provided the necessary resources, and MPs will be approving Sh2 billion to support the compensation of these victims,” President Ruto stated.
The President acknowledged that while the journey to compensation has been long, the rigorous process was necessary to ensure legality and transparency. The initiative had previously stalled following legal challenges, but the courts have since issued guidance on how the exercise should proceed.
“The court finally came through and gave direction on how that process should be done. Last week, in compliance with the court’s decision, we gazetted a panel as recommended to expedite the process,” Ruto explained.
While emphasizing the government’s responsibility to promote justice, healing, and reconciliation, Ruto noted the limits of financial reparation. “You can never compensate for a life lost, but you can do something about it. It is our belief that unless something else happens, we should be able to conclude this exercise by June.”
Beyond compensating past victims, President Ruto reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to safeguarding the constitutional right to picket and demonstrate.
To ensure impartiality and avoid a conflict of interest, the President announced that the Executive arm of the government will not lead the drafting of new legislation regarding the protection of protesters.
“We want to look at the future. Protesting is a constitutional right, and we must protect that right. It will be right for us to recommend KNCHR to propose a law on the protection of protesters because we do not want the Executive arm of government to propose that law,” he said.
The announcement comes as a significant step forward following sustained pressure from human rights groups and civil society organizations, who have continuously called for state accountability and support for victims of protest-related violence in Kenya.
