By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya, July 3, 2026 - The government's compensation programme for victims of human rights violations arising from demonstrations and public protests has crossed the Sh674 million mark after a further Sh225.4 million was approved for payment to 157 victims in the second phase of the exercise.
The Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Human Rights Violations announced on Friday that the latest compensation covers families of 57 people who lost their lives, victims who sustained severe, moderate and minor injuries, as well as survivors of aggravated sexual offences.
According to the panel, the latest payout comprises Sh171 million for the families of the 57 deceased victims, Sh19 million for 19 people who suffered severe injuries, Sh28.5 million for 57 victims with moderate injuries, Sh900,000 for 18 people with minor injuries and Sh6 million for six survivors of aggravated sexual offences.
Panel chairman Prof. Makau Mutua said the programme has now compensated 505 victims with cumulative disbursements of Sh674.1 million, including Sh448.7 million paid during the initial phase.
"This translates to 56 per cent of all the claims received and processed," the panel said, adding that it had also received confirmation of payment from many of the beneficiaries.
The panel said public response to the compensation programme has been overwhelming, with more than 400 new claims lodged in the past two weeks following its appeal for victims to come forward. It also received additional names from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).
The experts stressed that stringent verification measures are being applied before any compensation is approved.
"Every approved claim has undergone the strictest scrutiny for verification and authentication to confirm eligibility," the panel said.
In a move aimed at enhancing transparency, the panel pledged to publicly release the names of all successful beneficiaries once the exercise is complete.
"We assure the public that at the end of the compensation process, we shall, in accordance with the law and in full compliance with accountability and transparency, make public the list of all the beneficiaries," the statement said.
The panel urged victims who are yet to submit claims, consent forms or banking details to do so promptly.
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"Victims who have yet to file a claim, give their consent, or share their bank and payment details should do so without delay," it said, noting that the compensation programme "will continue on a rolling basis until every eligible victim is compensated."
Responding to public concerns over whether victims of enforced disappearances and torture will also benefit, the panel said supplementary frequently asked questions had been prepared to explain how such cases are being handled.
The experts reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring justice for all victims.
"We remain committed to ensuring prompt, fair, and dignified compensation for all verified victims," the panel said.
It added: "To the victims, your courage in coming forward has made this possible. We continue to honour your resilience and dignity as we make steady progress, and we shall not rest until every victim gets justice."
The panel also announced that psychological counselling and psychosocial support services are available at its offices at the Kenya International Conference Centre (KICC) to assist victims coping with trauma resulting from their experiences.
"Our team is ready to offer counselling and psychosocial care in a safe environment," the panel said.