Osotsi demands transparency in Ksh2B compensation for protest victims
By David Nthua, July 15, 2026Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has demanded transparency in the distribution of Ksh2 billion set aside to compensate victims of protest-related violence and enforced disappearances.
In a statement posted on Facebook on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, the Parliament of Kenya said Osotsi had asked the Senate Standing Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights to explain how beneficiaries were being identified and verified.
“Sen. Godfrey Osotsi has called for transparency and accountability in the implementation of the government’s compensation and reparations programme for victims of demonstration-related violence and enforced disappearances,” the statement reads.
Parliament said the Ksh2 billion allocation had given affected families hope, but many victims continued to face loss, trauma, and uncertainty.
Osotsi seeks compensation criteria and timelines
Osotsi wants the committee to disclose the categories of people eligible for compensation, the number of claims received, and the timelines for processing payments.
He also wants an update on compensation and other support offered to families of people killed during demonstrations, injured protesters and victims of torture or other human rights violations.
“The Committee is expected to provide details on medical, psychological, legal and socio-economic assistance available to victims and affected families,” Parliament said in its statement.
The Vihiga senator further wants the government to explain efforts to trace missing people and provide the status of investigations into reported enforced disappearances.
He has also demanded information about the assistance being provided to affected families as they wait for the investigations to conclude.
The Ksh2 billion programme was announced in June 2026 after President William Ruto received a proposed compensation framework covering people who suffered human rights violations during protests between 2017 and 2025.
Makau Mutua says compensation is ongoing
Osotsi’s intervention comes days after compensation panel chairperson Prof Makau Mutua dismissed reports that the programme had stalled.
In a statement dated July 9, 2026, Mutua said eligible victims had already received payments and that additional claims were being processed.
“The Panel has compensated victims and continues to do so,” the statement reads.
Mutua said every claim must undergo verification, authentication and review before payment is approved.
He maintained that the process was intended to prevent fraud and ensure public funds reached genuine beneficiaries.
“This rigorous approach is not a delay; it is a safeguard against fraud,” Mutua said.
The panel said compensation would continue on a rolling basis until every eligible victim had been considered.
It also promised to publish and gazette beneficiaries periodically, subject to their consent and requirements under the Data Protection Act.
Osotsi’s questions now place the government and the panel under pressure to provide Parliament with a detailed breakdown of the claims, beneficiaries, payments and investigations involving missing people.
