Pay up, but stop brutalising protesters and critics, Amnesty tells Ruto

A section of Parliament buildings on fire during the Gen Z protests in July 2025. [File, Standard]

Amnesty International Kenya has welcomed a proposal to compensate families who lost relatives to state violence between 2017 and 2025, but said payments alone will not deliver justice.

In a statement dated Thursday, June 18, the rights group called on the Kenyan government to establish a Reparations Fund, enact comprehensive legislation, adopt a National Reparations Policy, and allocate sufficient resources to ensure victims receive timely and effective redress.

Amnesty Executive Director George Morara said reparations cannot coexist with the continued criminalisation of peaceful assembly and dissent by police and courts.

“We welcome the call to review and terminate criminal proceedings against human rights defenders and protesters, particularly those facing terrorism-related charges, for exercising their constitutional rights under Article 37.”

Morara also welcomed the publication of a Framework for Reparations for Victims of Human Rights Violations by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), which covers victims of demonstrations and protests.

"This framework is a significant milestone in Kenya's ongoing pursuit of truth, justice, accountability, and reparations," he said.

He noted that for decades, successive governments had failed to acknowledge responsibility or provide remedy for victims of unlawful killings, torture, enforced disappearances, sexual violence, and arbitrary arrests.

The framework, he said, offers a long-overdue opportunity to confront those injustices through a victim-centred, rights-based programme. It also establishes that reparations are an independent right and do not depend on the conclusion of criminal, disciplinary, or civil proceedings against alleged perpetrators.

“Victims must not be forced to wait years for accountability processes before accessing urgent redress.”

The rights group further called on President William Ruto to issue an apology to victims, one that acknowledges state responsibility, recognises their suffering, and is accompanied by concrete guarantees of non-repetition.

The group also questioned the role of the National Police Service and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in investigating abuse cases, noting that more than 200 killings were recorded in 2024 alone, with only a handful resulting in prosecutions.

“While the framework represents progress, its success will be measured by implementation. Reparations alone cannot deliver justice. Accountability for police and security agencies remains the weakest link,” Morara said.

He welcomed recommendations on missing persons and enforced disappearances, including calls for national legislation and ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. He said a lower evidentiary threshold would help victims who face barriers in obtaining official documentation.

Morara added that minimum compensation awards across categories of violations would provide a baseline, with room for enhancement depending on individual circumstances and the severity of harm.

“Victims and families deserve more than financial redress; they deserve truth, accountability, and justice.”