Faith Odhiambo
Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Mony Odhiambo has resigned from her position as Vice Chairperson of the government’s Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests.
In a statement issued on Monday, October 6, Odhiambo said her resignation has been formally communicated to the Head of Public Service.
She cited the need to prioritize the Law Society’s ongoing efforts to pursue justice for victims of police brutality and safeguard the rule of law.
“As resilient as the resolve of the Law Society of Kenya has been in upholding the rule of law throughout Kenya’s history, especially in the last two years, my oath of office demands that I do all it takes to preserve such resilience from any and all adversaries and detractors.
“Accordingly, I have today handed in my formal and immediate resignation from the position of Vice Chairperson of the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests to the Head of Public Service,” read the statement oin part.
She explained that the Panel’s work had stalled after a court order halted its operations, noting that its 120-day mandate was likely to lapse before any significant progress could be made.
Odhiambo mentioned that the victims of the 2023 demonstrations had expressed frustration as their requests for an audience with the Panel remained unaddressed.
“Unfortunately, it is not feasible to achieve the time-sensitive milestones I undertook to achieve. I must therefore prioritize other avenues of responding to the plight of victims through the other positions I hold, especially the leadership of the Law Society of Kenya,” she stated.
Further, Odhiambo reaffirmed her commitment to pursuing justice for victims of police excesses, saying LSK will continue to file cases and advocate for comprehensive legal reforms.
This comes weeks after Odhiambo was criticized online after she agreed to join the panel. Netizens called on Odhiambo to consider the implications for her integrity and public trust before assuming the role.
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