Ruto appoints KNCHR boss Claris Ogangah as Vice Chair of Protest Victims Compensation Panel, replacing LSK's Faith Odhiambo

Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Claris Ogangah takes the oath of office on October 13, 2025. (Photo: KNCHR)

By Lucy Mumbi
Tuesday, November 4, 2025

Ogangah replaces Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo, who resigned in October, citing delays and legal obstacles that hindered the panel’s work.

President William Ruto has appointed Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) Chairperson Claris Awuor Ogangah as Vice Chairperson of the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests.

Ogangah replaces Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo, who resigned in October, citing delays and legal obstacles that hindered the panel’s work.

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The appointment, published in Gazette Notice No. 15945 on Tuesday, revoked the previous appointment of Odhiambo made through Gazette Notice No. 12002 of August 25, 2025, with effect from November 4, 2025.

Odhiambo formally resigned on October 6, 2025, submitting her immediate resignation to the Head of Public Service. She had been appointed Vice Chairperson when the 18-member panel was established to facilitate compensation for victims of demonstrations and protests dating back to 2017.

“The proposed mandate of the Panel presented an opportunity to overhaul the existing legal and institutional framework on victim reparations, which, as it stands, has proven inadequate in addressing public concerns over the historic crisis of police overreach and protestor victimisation during demonstrations,” Odhiambo said in her resignation letter.

She explained that her oath of office required her to safeguard the resilience of Kenya’s rule of law institutions.

Odhiambo noted that court interventions had stalled the panel’s mandate and that its 120-day tenure was likely to lapse before victims’ requests for hearings could be addressed.

Despite stepping down, Odhiambo reaffirmed her commitment to justice for victims of police excesses.

The High Court has suspended Ruto’s directive forming the panel pending a legal challenge. Justice Kizito Magare certified the suit as urgent and directed that it be heard inter partes.

“Pending the hearing, the court stayed the commencement of the mandate of the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests and suspended the implementation of Gazette Notice No. 12002 of August 25, 2025, which had appointed the panel to establish a reparations framework,” read the order.

The High Court in Kerugoya then extended the suspension, temporarily halting the President’s directive until the inter partes hearing, which was scheduled for October 21, 2025.

The panel had been tasked with recommending a reparations framework for victims of police brutality and violence during anti-government protests, which claimed over 120 lives and left hundreds injured in 2024 and 2025.

The conservatory orders were initially issued on September 8, 2025, requiring respondents and interested parties to file submissions within strict timelines.