The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has announced a 21-day window for Kenyans affected by past protests to submit claims for compensation, marking a significant step toward addressing years of alleged human rights violations.
In a statement issued on Monday, March 16, the commission directed victims of the 2017, 2024, and 2025 protests as well as those who never reported abuses to come forward with evidence to support their claims.
Required documentation includes medical reports, post-mortem results, and Occurrence Book (OB) records, although cases backed by witnesses or corroborating evidence will also be considered.
“We are giving the public 21 days to report so that we can verify their information and include them in our list of victims,” said KNCHR Chairperson Claris Ogangah.
Ogangah emphasized that the exercise aims to capture both previously reported and unreported cases. “We also have a list of those who have never reported anywhere… This is the group we are now calling on,” she said, urging affected individuals to visit KNCHR offices nationwide.
The commission is working alongside a 10-point implementation committee to develop a comprehensive reparations framework. This framework will guide compensation and broader justice measures, including restitution for lost livelihoods and official public apologies.
“We are hoping that the public will not just look at this as compensation… It’s acknowledging that there was a wrong that happened,” Ogangah added.
To operationalize the process, the government has already gazetted a special administrative unit under KNCHR to oversee compensation. A budget of Ksh2 billion has been allocated in the supplementary budget, though officials warn additional funding may be required in the 2026/2027 financial year if claims exceed the current allocation.
The commission also cautioned against fraudulent claims, warning that false submissions will be forwarded to relevant authorities for legal action. “We know there is a likelihood of false claims, so we require proper documentation or a corroborating witness,” Ogangah stated.
The move follows a directive by President William Ruto, who ordered the completion of the compensation process by June 2026 and gave KNCHR 60 days to finalize the framework.
“I took the first step and gazetted a victims’ compensation panel… We have a comprehensive list of all the victims of protests from 2017,” Ruto said during a joint meeting of the United Democratic Alliance and Orange Democratic Movement.
The compensation initiative forms part of the broader 10-point agreement between UDA and ODM following the 2024 protests, which culminated in the formation of the broad-based government.
KNCHR aims to finalize the list of victims by early April, paving the way for compensation to begin by June 2026.
For many affected Kenyans, the process represents a long-awaited opportunity for justice, accountability, and national healing.
