Babu Owino: Gov’t should compensate protest victims’ families Ksh.23M-Ksh.100M each

Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has called for hefty compensation to families of Kenyans killed during recent protests, saying anything less would be an insult to the value of life lost.

Speaking on Citizen TV’s ‘Tonight’ show on Thursday, Owino argued that the government must factor in the potential lifetime earnings of the victims, most of whom were in their 20s, when calculating compensation packages.

“The only mistake these Gen Zs did was to fight against the high cost of living, overtaxation, unemployment and reduction of university fees. Then the government went further to destroy their lives, kill them, and to give pain to their families. A life can never be compensated, even though now our comrades are resting in peace,” Owino said.

He explained that if an average victim, aged 25, had lived to the age of 90, they would still have had 65 years of productivity ahead.

Using a baseline monthly income of Ksh.30,000, Owino calculated that each victim would have earned at least Ksh.23.4 million in their lifetime, others possibly much more.

“If the government wants to be genuine, then they should compensate them for the 65 years. Assuming that each person who died was to earn a minimum of Ksh.30,000 per month, in a year, it would be Ksh.30,000 times 12, which is Ksh.360,000,” said the lawmaker.

“Then multiply for the rest of the 65 years remaining, you will get Ksh.23,400,000…on the minimum, that the government should compensate each family…to a maximum of over Ksh.100 million.”

His remarks come on the same day a committee was sworn in to oversee compensation for victims of demonstrations and protests dating back to 2017.

Chaired by Prof. Makau Mutua, who is President William Ruto’s senior advisor on constitutional affairs and human rights, the panel is expected to effect the implementation of the August 8 proclamation by the Head of State, where he announced a framework to compensate protest victims.

Law Society of Kenya (LSK) president Faith Odhiambo will serve as the committee vice chairperson. Other members include Kennedy N. Ogeto, Irungu Houghton, John Olukuru, Rev. Kennedy Barasa Simiyu, Linda Musumba, Duncan Ojwang’, Naini Lankas, Francis Muraya, Juliet Chepkemei, Pius Metto, Fatuma Kinsi Abass and Raphael Anampiu.

Richard Barno will be the Technical Lead, Duncan A. Okelo Ndeda as Co-Technical Lead and Jerusah Mwaathime Michael and Raphael Ng’etich as Joint Secretaries.

According to Owino, however, without meaningful financial redress, the government risks trivialising the lives lost.