PRESIDENT WILLIAM RUTO ANNOUNCES A COMPENSATION FRAMEWORK FOR PROTEST VICTIMS

President William Ruto has announced the creation of a special framework to provide compensation for people injured or who lost their lives during public protests in Kenya.  The announcement was made through a presidential proclamation on Friday, August 8, 2025. In his declaration, President Ruto stated: “Now therefore, I, William 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.”

According to the Executive Order, this framework will be implemented by the Executive Office of the President in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, the National Treasury, and all other relevant government agencies. To oversee this initiative, Prof. Makau Mutua, Senior Advisor on Constitutional Affairs and Human Rights, has been appointed as the Principal Coordinator of the State Intervention and Compensation Framework. The framework will operate for a period of 120 days from the date of the proclamation.

This intervention comes in light of several constitutional and public interest considerations. The Kenyan Constitution underscores the shared responsibility between the State and its citizens to maintain a balance between civic responsibilities and the exercise of constitutionally protected freedoms, such as those enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

Since the 2010 promulgation of the Constitution, Kenya has experienced an expansion of democratic space, allowing citizens the freedom to express themselves through demonstrations and picketing. However, while many of these protests have been peaceful, others have unfortunately turned violent, leading to injuries, loss of life, and property damage.

Given these developments, and in the interest of promoting accountability and justice, the Executive deemed it necessary to establish a structured approach for compensation. The framework is intended to provide redress and reparations for all victims, both civilians and security personnel, who have suffered injuries or lost their lives during public protests and riots since 2017. “There is compelling national interest in establishing a framework for accountability, redress and reparations for victims of demonstrations and public protests,” the Executive Order noted, highlighting the urgent need to address the harm caused in such incidents over the past several years.