Fred Okango: Compensation panel to visit 47 counties to get victims’ views
By Mabonga Makhanu, September 8, 2025KANU secretary general and member of the presidential panel on protest victims’ compensation, Fred Okango, has clarified that the Makau Mutua-led committee will not only focus on victim compensation but will also visit victims in all 47 counties to collect their views regarding the protests.
Speaking during an interview on a local radio show on Monday, September 8, 2025, Okango explained that the committee’s work goes beyond compensation. He said the panel will engage victims in all protest hotspots to understand their needs and concerns.
“The panel will visit all the hotspots in all the counties to engage with the victims to listen to their needs and concerns as far as the protests were concerned,” Okango said.
In addition to their core mandate of compensating victims, the committee is also tasked with recommending prosecutorial action against individuals found culpable of injustices inflicted on protest victims, should evidence emerge during their engagements.
He also stated that the panel is also required to suggest legislative reforms on institutions that are always on the forefront during protests
“Where evidence permits, after going through their work, they can recommend to constitutional institutions like IPOA and ODPP prosecution of those who have been found culpable of committing some of these atrocities,” Okango stated.
Okango urged Kenyans, many of whom remain sceptical about the process, to support the initiative, arguing that it forms part of the healing journey for families who lost loved ones or for those left injured during the protests. He emphasised that the panel, if supported, will deliver more than compensation; it will also deliver justice.
Uproar on compensation
His remarks come at a time when the committee has been met with resistance from Kenyans. LSK president Faith Odhiambo, once admired for her role in defending protest victims and securing their release, has particularly faced backlash after her appointment, with many now viewing her as a betrayer.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga first floated the idea of compensating victims during the Madaraka Day celebrations in Homa Bay. He suggested that compensation would be a step towards healing and recovery from past riots. However, many Kenyans dismissed the proposal, insisting that true justice for protest victims should not stop at compensation but must also include accountability.