A section of Kenya’s opposition leaders has launched a parallel justice body, the People’s Restorative Justice Commission (PRJC), in a bold move to counter what they describe as a growing crisis of state violence and institutional collapse.
The PRJC, led by former National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, is a grassroots tribunal designed to document state abuses, amplify victims’ voices, and push for accountability outside Kenya’s formal judicial systems. Other commissioners include Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo, People’s Liberation Party secretary general Asha Bashir, and public policy expert Prof Fred Ogola.
Though it lacks statutory authority and cannot prosecute or enforce rulings, the PRJC’s backers claim its moral mandate derives from Article 1 of the Kenyan Constitution, which vests sovereign power in the people. “This is not about legality it’s about legitimacy,” said DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa during the launch. He referenced recent incidents, including the death of Albert Ojwang, which opposition leaders claim was a politically motivated murder.
The tribunal’s unveiling comes at a moment of high political tension following nationwide protests on June 25, which saw massive youth mobilisation and harsh state crackdowns. The PRJC aims to collect testimonies, document abuses, and support private prosecutions in a bid to restore public trust and historical record.
Critics, however, dismiss the PRJC as toothless, warning that it cannot compel witnesses or deliver justice in the traditional sense. Still, supporters argue that symbolic institutions can be powerful tools in galvanising public support and applying pressure on state actors.
“This commission marks a shift,” said former Nairobi Town Clerk Philip Kisia, who moderated the launch. “The opposition is no longer seeking justice within captured institutions they are building new ones.”
The PRJC plans to begin collecting statements in the coming weeks, positioning itself as a citizens’ tribunal in the face of what it terms institutional collapse. According to its founders, this is a stark admission that Kenya’s Parliament, judiciary, and constitutional commissions have either been compromised or rendered ineffective by the current regime.
In a nation grappling with deepening political unrest, the PRJC may become both a symbol of resistance and a litmus test for citizen-led accountability.
