President William Ruto has promised that victims of protests across the country will receive compensation by June, provided the current process stays on track.
During a joint parliamentary group meeting with lawmakers from the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), the president stated that the government has already set up the systems needed to pay affected families and individuals.
Ruto noted that while the process has taken time, this was necessary to keep it legal and transparent. He remarked that the government remains dedicated to fixing injustices that happened during previous demonstrations.
“It is our belief that unless something else happens, we should be able to conclude this exercise by June,” the president said.
The head of state acknowledged that while money can never replace a life, the government must support grieving families and recognize the pain victims suffered.
“You can never compensate for a life lost, but you can do something about it. That is why we took the first step and gazetted a victims’ compensation panel, although the matter later went to court,” Ruto stated.
According to the president, the government has already compiled a list of victims by working with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
“We have identified all the victims of protests together with KNCHR and IPOA. We now have a comprehensive list that even goes back to victims of protests from 2017,” he said.
President Ruto shared that the government has already set aside funds for the compensation program, and he expects Parliament to approve Sh2 billion to cover the payments.
“We have provided the necessary resources, and MPs will be approving Sh2 billion to support the compensation of these victims,” the president added.
While legal hurdles previously stalled the process, the president noted that the courts have now provided a clear path forward.
“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.
Looking past financial payouts, the president said the government wants to find ways to keep protesters safe in the future, noting that the Constitution guarantees the right to demonstrate.
“We are not stopping there. We want to look at the future. Protesting is a constitutional right, and we must protect that right,” he said.
Ruto also mentioned that the government will step back from drafting any new laws regarding protest protections to avoid a conflict of interest.
“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.
