Protest victims to be compensated from next week

Police arrest protestors in Nairobi during the Finance Bill 2024. [File]

Over 1,000 victims of human rights violations linked to protests across the country are set to begin receiving government compensation next week, following the completion of a nationwide verification process led by state agencies and human rights bodies.

The announcement was made on Monday at State House, Nairobi, during the official presentation of the Framework for Reparations for Victims of Human Rights Violations by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).

The framework outlines how victims of protest-related violence will be identified, verified, and compensated under a structured government programme, with Sh2 billion already allocated in the 2025/2026 supplementary budget to support the process.

Senior Advisor on Constitutional Affairs, Professor Makau Mutua, said the government is finalising verification and preparing to begin payments within days.

“The panel is now subjecting all of these names to verification assisted by its AI-integrated case management system and will be in a position to begin making payments in a short time, in a week from today,” Mutua said.

The compensation programme covers victims of violent protests recorded during the 2017 and 2022 post-election period, as well as those affected during the 2023 and 2024 Finance Bill demonstrations and the 2025 Saba Saba protests.

According to KNCHR, 1,815 claims have been documented so far, alongside 1,022 additional cases submitted by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and others forwarded by the Ministry of Interior. From these, 1,101 victims have already been verified across six categories of violations.

The documented cases include 245 deaths, 135 injuries, 473 arrests, 75 incidents of sexual violence, and 138 cases of property destruction. More than 160 claims involving business losses and economic damage are also under review.

While presenting the report, KNCHR Chairperson Ms Claris Ogangah said the initiative is aimed at healing national wounds and rebuilding trust between citizens and the state.

“Kenya has taken an important step towards healing historical wounds, strengthening national unity and building a society founded on justice, human dignity, accountability and respect for human rights,” Ogangah said.

She noted that not all reported cases qualified for reparations, explaining that some incidents were isolated criminal acts that would be handled through the criminal justice system.

“Not all cases reported to the commission qualified as gross human rights violations for reparations, as some were isolated criminal acts,” she said.

The framework also extends to security officers who were affected during protest periods, including members of the National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service, and National Youth Service.

Victims were required to provide supporting documents such as police reports, medical records, post-mortem results, and witness statements to confirm eligibility.

The government said the programme is designed to enhance transparency and restore public confidence in the handling of human rights violations, while promoting reconciliation and accountability.