President William Ruto has announced a new plan to compensate people who were injured or lost their lives during public protests in Kenya since 2017. This includes both civilians and security officers affected during demonstrations that turned violent.
The announcement was made through an official presidential statement released on Friday. President Ruto said the goal is to support victims while also respecting the right to protest peacefully, as guaranteed by the Kenyan Constitution.
“People have the right to demonstrate and picket, but unfortunately, some protests have led to violence, causing injuries and deaths,” the President’s statement read.
The compensation programme will run for 120 days and will be managed by the Executive Office of the President. It will work closely with several government departments, including:
The Office of the Attorney General
The Ministry of Interior and National Administration
The National Treasury
Other relevant state agencies
President Ruto appointed Professor Makau Mutua, his Senior Advisor on Constitutional Affairs and Human Rights, as the lead coordinator of the project.
The plan will focus on:
Offering financial compensation to victims
Supporting injured security officers
Creating systems for justice and accountability
Respecting the right to peaceful protests
This compensation initiative was also part of the 10-point agreement made between President Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga when they agreed to form a broad-based government earlier this year. The aim of the agreement was to promote unity and peace in the country.
However, the government has not yet released key details, such as:
How victims will be identified
How much each person will be compensated
Where the money will come from
More information is expected as the programme rolls out in the coming months.
Kenya has witnessed many protests over the years, some of which turned violent. Many people were hurt, and some even lost their lives, especially during election seasons. This move by the government is seen as a way to heal past wounds and build national unity.
