Ruto appoints panel of experts to oversee compensation of protest victims

The panel, gazette on August 25, shall be chaired by Prof. Makau Mutua, who is Ruto’s senior advisor on constitutional affairs and human rights. 

The panel, with Faith Odhiambo Mony as its vice chairperson, is expected to effect the implementation of the August 8 proclamation by Ruto, where he announced a framework to compensate protest victims. 

Members of the taskforce 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.

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

The panel is mandated to design and establish an operational framework to verify, categorise, and compensate eligible victims. It will also engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure inclusivity and fairness in the compensation process and authenticate data on eligible victims. 

The gazette notice also stipulates that the panel shall propose legislative and institutional reforms to address protests and culture of policing, after which they shall prepare and submit reports to the President. 

On August 8, Ruto unveiled a 5-member committee to establish a framework for compensating victims of protests and riots. In a notice co-signed by ODM leader Raila Odinga, the Head of State appointed Makau Mutua as the team’s principal coordinator.

The committee is made up of columnist Gabriel Oguda, Agnes Zani, Kevin Kiarie, Fatuma Ibrahim and political Communication Strategist Javas Bigambo. 

The principals also formed a joint Secretariat, co-led by Executive Secretaries from UDA and ODM, to support the Committee's operations.