The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has called for a wider approach to compensating victims of protests and demonstrations, saying that monetary payment alone is not enough to deliver justice.
The commission wants the special committee appointed by President William Ruto to review the matter from a broader reparation perspective, ensuring that accountability and justice are central to the process.
This call came as KNCHR released a report on the right to defend human rights, assessing the state of human rights defence in the country over the past two years.
President Ruto had recently formed a team led by Prof. Makau Mutua to develop ways of compensating victims of protests and demonstrations, but the commission feels the current mandate is too limited.
According to Simon Omondi, the Deputy Director of Programmes at KNCHR, reparations are more than just financial settlements.
He explained that reparations involve acknowledgement, memorialization, and other measures aimed at restoring dignity to victims, not just paying them off. He argued that the committee should take this wider view as it carries out its work.
The commission also wants the time allocated to the committee extended. President Ruto had given the team 120 days to come up with a framework for compensation to victims, including civilians and security officers affected by protests since 2017.
Omondi believes this period is too short given the scope of work, which involves profiling victims, engaging the public, and conducting other important processes.
The new KNCHR report also raises concerns about the state’s commitment to protecting human rights defenders.
Commissioner Sarah Bonaya said that while Kenya’s Constitution and its ratification of international treaties provide a strong legal framework for human rights, in practice defenders continue to face threats, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and even violence.
Omondi further noted that although the state is tasked with promoting human rights, it remains one of the biggest violators, especially in the delivery of services and allocation of resources, where corruption plays a major role.
The report, which covers 2020 to 2022, records the killing of seven human rights defenders, the forced disappearance of two others, and the arbitrary arrest of 132 individuals.
It also points out that although Kenyans have a constitutional right to access information, the continued misuse of the Public Order Act limits the freedom to hold peaceful assemblies.
KNCHR is urging the government to fully implement laws that safeguard freedoms and rights, arguing that without real action, these protections remain only on paper.
The commission maintains that true justice for victims of protests will require more than compensation it will require acknowledgement, accountability, and systemic change.
