Mombasa civil society groups demand justice beyond Ruto’s compensation pledge

Civil society organisations in Mombasa have cautiously welcomed President William Ruto’s pledge to compensate victims and families of those injured or killed during peaceful protests, but insist the government must go beyond financial redress to deliver justice and accountability.

The announcement comes in the wake of nationwide demonstrations against the Finance Bill, during which at least 60 people were reported killed and hundreds injured. Human rights groups have accused police of using excessive force, including live ammunition, arbitrary arrests, abductions, and enforced disappearances, particularly targeting young protesters.

Haki Africa Executive Director Yusuf Abubakar described the compensation plan as a positive first step but said it would be meaningless without holding perpetrators to account. “As human rights organisations, we welcome the initial step announced by the President, but we say it is not sufficient,” he said.

Yusuf noted, “There are still those who have gone missing; we want the government to take responsibility, ensure they are found, and take action against those who caused all this to happen.”

His sentiments were echoed by Francis Auma, Rapid Response Officer at Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI), who called for the immediate release of all demonstrators still in detention.

He warned against turning the compensation pledge into a political gimmick. “We emphasise that this should not be propaganda or a cat-and-mouse game. We want those responsible for the killings during the protests to be brought to court, and if possible, for their faces to be made public so that people know them. It is painful that taxpayers’ money is being used on individuals who deliberately caused deaths and suffering in this country.”

Activist Walid Sketty stressed that no monetary amount could truly compensate for the loss of life, and urged the President to apologise for earlier remarks describing those killed as criminals. “The only honourable thing the government can do is retract that statement and implement reforms to ensure professional conduct by the police during protests,” he said.

“Life has no price tag; you can compensate for property or financial losses, but you cannot replace a life once it has been taken.”

The organisations are demanding independent, transparent, and credible investigations into all incidents of excessive force, with prosecutions for both state and non-state actors found responsible.

They are also calling for security sector reforms to prevent future violations, including ending extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and the unlawful suppression of peaceful assembly.

The right to peaceful assembly is enshrined in Article 37 of the Kenyan Constitution and protected under international human rights instruments.

However, rights groups say years of unpunished police brutality have undermined this freedom, leaving victims and their families without justice or closure.

They argue that unless the government follows through with concrete action, the compensation pledge risks becoming another unfulfilled promise that further erodes public trust in state institutions.

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