Ruto appoints panel of experts to oversee compensation of protest victims
By Mabonga Makhanu, August 26, 2025President William Ruto has formally appointed Professor Makau Mutua to lead a group of experts, deputised by LSK President, to fast-track the compensation of protest victims.
The announcement was made through a Gazette Notice issued by the State House on Tuesday, August 26, 2025.
The panel has been tasked with designing and establishing an operational framework to verify, categorise, and compensate eligible victims. In addition, it will engage with stakeholders, including families of victims, state institutions mandated to address human rights, civil society organisations, and religious bodies to ensure inclusivity and fairness in the process.
“by dint of a Presidential Proclamation issued on the 6th August, 2025, the Head of State and Government, acting in furtherance of the State’s constitutional mandate to promote national healing and cohesion, established a Framework for the Reparation and Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations, Public Protests, and Riots;” The gazette notice read
The team is also expected to authenticate data on eligible victims using authoritative sources such as the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), the National Police Service, the Ministry of Health, and civil society.
Beyond compensation, the panel will recommend reparations, prosecutions, or other accountability measures to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and relevant oversight agencies where evidence warrants. It will also propose legislative and institutional reforms to address issues surrounding protests and policing culture in the country. The experts are required to prepare and submit periodic progress reports as well as a final report to the President.
The mandate of the panel will run for 120 days from the date of appointment or such other period as may be specified in the Kenya Gazette.
The panel is chaired by Professor Makau Mutua, with LSK president Faith Odhiambo Mony serving as vice-chairperson. Other members include Kennedy N. Ogeto, Irungu Houghton, Dr John Olukuru, Rev. Fr Kennedy Barasa Simiyu, Dr Linda Musumba, Dr Duncan Ojwang’, Naini Lankas, Dr Francis Muraya, Juliet Chepkemei, Pius Metto, Fatuma Kinsi Abass, and Raphael Anampiu. The technical team is led by Richard Barno, with Dr Duncan A. Okelo Ndeda serving as co-technical lead. The joint secretaries are Jerusah Mwaathime Michael and Dr Raphael Ng’etich.