NAIROBI, Kenya – The High Court in Kerugoya has temporarily halted the operations of President William Ruto’s newly formed Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests, pending the outcome of a legal challenge.
In a ruling delivered on Monday, Justice Magare Dennis Kizito Ngwono suspended both the panel’s mandate and the August 6 presidential proclamation that created it.
The court also froze Gazette Notice No. 12002 of August 25, which had formally established the 18-member team.
The orders arose from an urgent application filed by lawyer Levi Munyeri, which the court heard during the vacation period.
The respondents—including the State Law Office and the Interior Cabinet Secretary—have been directed to file responses within seven days, ahead of the next hearing scheduled for October 6, 2025.
“The commencement of the mandate of the Panel of Experts is stayed pending the hearing of this application inter partes,” Justice Ngwono ordered.
The panel, sworn in on September 4 and chaired by President Ruto’s senior constitutional advisor Prof. Makau Mutua, was tasked with designing a framework for reparations to victims of demonstrations, protests, and riots dating back to 2017.
Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo was appointed vice chairperson.
During its inauguration, Mutua pledged to “write a new chapter” in managing protests, while Odhiambo defended her participation amid criticism from activists who accused her of betraying the Gen Z movement.
Critics have questioned the panel’s constitutionality, warning it could duplicate or clash with existing bodies such as the Director of Public Prosecutions, Inspector General of Police, and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
The team has insisted its role is purely advisory and meant to complement—not override—independent institutions.
The case now sets the stage for a wider legal battle over the legality of state-led reparations for victims of police violence and protest-related unrest.
