President William Ruto has appointed an 18-member panel of experts to oversee the compensation of victims of demonstrations and protests dating back to 2017. The team, officially gazetted on August 25, will be chaired by Prof. Makau Mutua, the President’s senior advisor on constitutional affairs and human rights. Faith Odhiambo Mony will serve as the vice chairperson.
The panel’s formation follows Ruto’s August 8 proclamation announcing a framework for compensating victims of political unrest, a move aimed at addressing grievances and fostering reconciliation. The taskforce has been given a broad mandate that includes designing an operational framework to verify, categorize, and compensate eligible victims. It will also engage stakeholders to ensure fairness, inclusivity, and authenticity in the process.
Other key members of the panel include Kennedy N. Ogeto, Irungu Houghton, John Olukuru, Rev. Kennedy Barasa Simiyu, Linda Musumba, Duncan Ojwang’, Naini Lankas, Francis Muraya, Juliet Chepkemei, Pius Metto, Fatuma Kinsi Abass, and Raphael Anampiu. Richard Barno has been appointed Technical Lead, with Duncan A. Okelo Ndeda as Co-Technical Lead. Jerusah Mwaathime Michael and Raphael Ng’etich will serve as joint secretaries.
The gazette notice stipulates that the team will not only focus on compensation but also propose legislative and institutional reforms to address the culture of policing and public order management in Kenya. Once finalized, the panel will prepare reports to be presented to the President.
This development builds on an earlier initiative unveiled on August 8, when President Ruto, in collaboration with ODM leader Raila Odinga, announced a five-member committee tasked with laying the groundwork for compensation. That initial committee comprises columnist Gabriel Oguda, former senator Agnes Zani, Kevin Kiarie, Fatuma Ibrahim, and political communication strategist Javas Bigambo, with Makau Mutua as the principal coordinator.
A joint secretariat, co-led by executive secretaries from both UDA and ODM, was also formed to support the operations of the committee.
By bringing together experts, civil society voices, and political stakeholders, the Ruto-led administration aims to provide redress for victims while simultaneously charting reforms to prevent recurrence of violent protests and restore public trust in state institutions.
