President Ruto Appoints LSK Boss Faith Odhiambo to Lead Protest Victims’ Compensation Panel

On August 26, 2025, President William Ruto issued a Gazette Notice creating a Panel of Experts tasked with facilitating compensation for victims of demonstrations, protests, and riots—dating back to around 2017. The panel is to establish a framework for identifying, verifying, categorizing, and compensating both civilians and police officers affected by these events. It is chaired by his constitutional advisor, Professor Makau Mutua, and Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo has been appointed as Vice-Chairperson of this panel

Composition of the Panel

• The panel includes 15 to 18 members depending on the source, featuring legal professionals, human rights advocates, civil society figures, clergy, and technical experts

• Some notable names:

  • Kennedy N. Ogeto (Former Solicitor-General)

  • Irungu Houghton (Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director)

  • Dr. Duncan Ojwang’

  • Dr. John Olukuru

  • Naini Lankas

  • Dr. Francis Muraya

  • Juliet Chepkemei

  • Pius Metto

  • Fatuma Kinsi Abass

  • Raphael Anampiu

  • Plus others like Rev. Kennedy Barasa Simiyu and Linda Musumba depending on the report

  • Technical and Secretariat Team

    • Richard Barno is the Technical Lead, supported by Dr. Duncan A. Okelo Ndeda as Co-Technical Lead.

    • Jerusah Mwaathime Michael and Dr. Raphael Ng’etich serve as Joint Secretaries

    • Mandate & Powers

      • Design and implement an operational framework to verify, categorize, and compensate victims.

      • Authenticate data from authoritative bodies: Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), National Police Service, Ministry of Health, and civil society

      • Recommend reparations, and where evidence permits, propose prosecutions or accountability measures to the ODPP
      • Propose legislative and institutional reforms to improve policing culture and conduct of protests
      • Engage stakeholders—victims’ families, civil society, faith-based groups, and state organs—to ensure a fair, inclusive, and transparent process
      • The panel must complete its work within 120 days of its gazettement, with potential extensions if necessary
      • The secretariat is based at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi; correspondence is to be sent to P.O. Box 30510–0100, G.P.O. Nairobi
      • Funding will come from government coffers under the Public Finance Management Act, with auditable payment channels. The panel must maintain transparent accounting, prepare for independent auditing, and publish anonymized data and progress updates

      • Significance of Faith Odhiambo’s Role

        As LSK President and now Vice-Chairperson of the panel, Faith Odhiambo plays a crucial role in ensuring legal integrity, independence, and public confidence in the compensation process. Her leadership is symbolic of the legal profession’s involvement in addressing the aftermath of protests, including high-profile incidents like the 2024 storming of Parliament and other violent demonstrations.

        • Recall, for example, the June 2024 protests against the Finance Bill, where state force led to multiple deaths and injuries, prompting widespread calls for accountability and justice

        • Her appointment signals a commitment to restoring trust, advocating for justice, and safeguarding democratic rights.