Over 1,800 victims of protest-linked human rights violations set for state compensation from next week

Over 1,800 victims of human rights violations linked to protests could start receiving state compensation next week following the completion of a national verification process.

Speaking on Monday during the release of a national reparations framework report at State House, Senior Advisor of Constitutional Affairs, Professor Makau Mutua, said the government is now preparing to roll out payments after final checks on eligible cases.

He noted that the panel is currently reviewing all names through a verification system to confirm those who qualify for payment before the rollout begins.

"The panel, your excellency, is now subjecting all of these names to verification assisted by its AI-integrated case management system and will be in a position to begin making payments in a short time, in a week from today," Mutua said.

The planned compensation follows the submission of the Framework for Reparations for Victims of Human Rights Violations by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), which was presented to the Head of State on Monday. The report sets out how victims of protest-related abuses will be identified, verified and compensated under a structured government programme.

The government had earlier set aside Sh2 billion in the first supplementary budget for the 2025/2026 financial year to fund the compensation exercise.

KNCHR chairperson Claris Ogangah, while presenting the report, said the process was aimed at restoring trust and strengthening national unity while addressing past violations.

“Kenya has taken an important step towards healing historical wounds, strengthening national unity and building a society founded on justice, human dignity, accountability and respect for human rights,” Ogangah said.

The compensation programme covers victims of violent protests recorded during the 2017 and 2022 post-election period, as well as those affected during the 2023 and 2024 Finance Bill demonstrations and the 2025 Saba Saba protests.

According to KNCHR, 1,815 claims have been documented since the framework was launched, alongside 1,022 additional cases submitted by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). Other files were forwarded through the Ministry of Interior.

From the combined records, 1,101 victims have been verified and consent obtained across six categories of violations.

These include 245 deaths, 135 injuries, 473 arrests, 75 cases of sexual violence and 138 incidents of property destruction.

Onganga noted that “not all cases reported to the commission qualified as gross human rights violations for reparations, as some were isolated criminal acts." She added that such cases would proceed through the criminal justice system.

Additional records show that about 1,100 names were submitted by KNCHR, with a further 200 from IPOA, all of which are under review by the compensation panel. More than 200 additional victims from the National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service and National Youth Service have also been identified for consideration.

The Ministry of Interior and KNCHR said the framework is designed to strengthen transparency and rebuild public confidence in the compensation process.

More than 160 claims involving business losses and economic damage have also been received and are part of the ongoing assessment.

The scheme will benefit civilians and security officers who suffered during protest periods, including those injured, bereaved families and individuals whose livelihoods were affected. It also covers deaths linked to police action, serious injuries, torture, abductions, enforced disappearances, sexual violence and destruction of property.

To qualify, victims and families were required to submit supporting documents to KNCHR for verification. These included police-issued P3 forms, medical reports, hospital discharge summaries and Occurrence Book records.

Families applying for death-related compensation were also required to provide post-mortem reports, witness statements and any other supporting evidence to validate their claims.

Professor Mutua said the verification process is ongoing and payments will begin once eligible victims are cleared under the system, with rollout expected as early as next week.