Families of victims of police brutality welcome Ruto's compensation move

Mothers of police brutality victims have welcomed President William Ruto’s formation of a framework to have compensation processed for them, calling it timely and necessary. However, their calls for justice still reign.

When The Eastleigh Voice reached out to Gillian Munyau, mother to Rex Masai, who lost his life during the anti-finance Bill protests in 2024, the matter of compensating them gave her hope that the State had begun recognising their pain.

“I welcome the fact that the State is planning to have us compensated. This move is important because it recognises the pain and suffering we have been undergoing since we lost our loved ones,” said Munyau.

She wants justice realised for his son and all other Kenyans who lost their lives in the hands of the excesses of police, so that compensation does not take the place of justice.

“If we focus on compensation alone, then we shall be telling the State that they can kill and compensate, and it ends that way. We demand that all security officers who have not been arrested be apprehended and charged, even as the matter of compensation gets tracked,” said Munyau.

Rex Masai’s name came to symbolise martyrdom; he was the first casualty of a brutal crackdown on peaceful protests against the 2024 Finance Bill, an event that altered Kenya’s policing landscape forever.

Munyau’s view was supported by the human rights lobby, Vocal Africa, which welcomed Ruto’s move. Hussein Khalid, the Executive Director of the organisation, said Ruto’s step is one of the five steps they’ve been calling for to ensure justice for victims.

Ruto announced the establishment of a national framework to coordinate compensation for victims of demonstrations and public protests held since 2017.

The initiative, unveiled through a presidential proclamation issued on August 8, 2025, will provide reparations for civilians and security personnel who suffered bodily harm or lost their lives during protests and riots.

“Khalid praised the move, noting that it is a step in the right direction," he said.

"We are pleased with the decision to develop a framework to have Kenyans who were killed in protests compensated. This is a step in the right direction that needs to be supported."

Khalid said his organisation has been at the forefront of demanding that Kenyans who have been killed during this year and last year's protests against President William Ruto's administration get compensated.

"We have been urging this administration that the best way to show goodwill towards those who lost their lives and sustained injuries during state-sanctioned police brutality is through compensation," Khalid said.

In Ruto's directive, the matter of compensation for those who lost their lives will be dealt with through legally acknowledged channels.

The initiative, unveiled through a presidential proclamation issued on August 8, 2025, will provide reparations for civilians and security personnel who suffered bodily harm or lost their lives during protests and riots.

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“I, William Samoei Ruto, President and Commander in Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces in exercise of the authority vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby establish a coordinating framework for compensation of victims of protests and riots, which shall be vested under the Executive Office of the President,” Ruto said in the proclamation.

The new framework will operate under the Executive Office of the President and will be implemented in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, the National Treasury, and other relevant government agencies.

Khalid, however, noted that there are other areas that need to be addressed. "Let’s also see the other four steps taken. They include an acknowledgement that those killed were not treasonous criminals or terrorists and an apology from the state for the senseless killings," said Khalid.

He is also demanding the immediate arrest of all killer cops and ensuring they are charged for murder, while police reforms should be put in place to ensure such killings never recur.

Khalid's position was supported by Mukuru Social Justice Centre Coordinator Anami Daudi, who said the matter of compensation is a big welcome but must promptly be followed by justice for the victims.

"We welcome the idea of compensating the victims of police excesses. We are, however, demanding that justice follows because lost lives cannot be compared to money," said Anami.