Ruto’s govt allocates Ksh2B for protest victims’ compensation and sets deadline
By Kenneth Mwenda, March 10, 2026President William Ruto has announced that the government has allocated Ksh2 billion to compensate victims of past protests and human rights violations.
The move is part of the commitments under the 10-Point Agenda agreed between the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
Ruto made the announcement during a joint parliamentary session at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. He said the compensation exercise would be coordinated through the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) to ensure that all victims are properly identified and supported.
“Although we are being told, and it is correct, that you can never compensate life, we can do something about it,” Ruto said. “We have already identified all the victims, profiled their names, and established a comprehensive list. Private resources will be used alongside the Ksh2 billion to ensure proper compensation.”
The president explained that the plan is part of wider commitments under the 10-Point Agenda, aimed at easing political tensions and addressing long-standing social, economic, and governance issues. He reflected on the anniversary of the agreement, saying it was meant to move the country away from divisive politics shaped by tribal competition and regional rivalry.
“Together, we resolved to change our politics, which for too long had been consumed by division, tribal competition, and regional rivalry,” he said. “Today, our country enjoys greater stability, and opportunities for young people are expanding through programmes in housing, health, agriculture, education, the digital and creative economy, and labour mobility.”
Victims compensation progress
Ruto also highlighted progress in other areas covered by the agenda, including electoral reforms, governance, and economic management. He said the government had strengthened the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and introduced measures to lower the cost of living in sectors such as agriculture, fuel, education, and health.
The president further noted that government programmes had created employment opportunities for about 1.8 million Kenyans in housing, agriculture, and the digital economy. He said funding for counties had increased, with shareable revenue rising from Ksh415 billion to Ksh450 billion, and pledged that county assemblies would receive resources to carry out their oversight role independently.
June Deadline
The Ksh2 billion fund will be managed under a clear legal framework, with oversight from the courts and KNCHR. Ruto expressed confidence that the process would be completed before June 2026.
“I took the first step and gazetted a victims’ compensation panel. Even as the courts held it, we did some work. We have identified all the victims and profiled their names. We have a comprehensive list of all the victims of protests from 2017,” he said. “It is our belief that unless something happens, we should be able to conclude this exercise before June,” the head of state announced.
The compensation will cover victims of protests and human rights violations between 2017 and 2024. Ruto urged the National Assembly to approve the Ksh2 billion allocation in the supplementary budget to ensure adequate resources for the exercise.
Earlier attempts to establish a compensation mechanism faced legal hurdles. In 2025, a panel tasked with overseeing payouts was dismissed by the courts, which ruled that KNCHR was the proper institution to handle the compensation of protest victims.