NAIROBI, Kenya – A section of victims of the 2024 and 2025 anti-government protests has questioned the government’s compensation programme, claiming they were excluded despite having registered their cases with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
The victims, who say they suffered injuries or were allegedly abducted during the demonstrations, said they completed the required registration and verification processes but have not received any communication regarding their applications.
According to the group, they submitted the necessary documentation to KNCHR in April and May this year with the expectation of being considered for compensation. However, they say their names did not appear in either the first or second phase of payouts.
They further claimed they had not been informed why their applications were unsuccessful despite complying with the stated requirements.
Victims Seek Clarification
Speaking during a press briefing, Ann Wanjiku, who said she was shot during the July 2, 2024 protests, appealed to the government to reconsider her case.
“I, for example, was shot in 2024, on July 2. I had a bullet in my body for six days. We are hearing that people are being compensated, but we have not seen anything. We have not seen even a single person receive it, yet we only hear that it is being paid out, and we do not know where it is being given. So, we are asking that we also be considered,” she said.
Wanjiku added that although she registered her case with both IPOA and KNCHR, she had not received any update.
“We registered with IPOA and KNCHR, but we have not received a phone call or any communication,” she said.
Another claimant, Thomas Nandwa, urged the compensation panel to ensure all verified victims are considered.
“We have gone through all the required processes. We are many victims, and we are appealing to the authorities to consider us.”
Questions Over Transparency
Brothers Jamil Longton and Aslam Longton, who say they were abducted during the 2024 protests before later being released, also questioned the transparency of the compensation process.
The two said they registered their claims with KNCHR on May 7 but have not received any communication regarding their applications.
Aslam Longton questioned official figures indicating that a significant number of victims had already been compensated.
“We are being told that 40 pc of the victims have already been compensated, yet we do not know who has received the money.”
Jamil Longton said members of a WhatsApp group bringing together about 400 alleged victims from counties including Nairobi, Kisumu, Kakamega, Kajiado and Kiambu had been unable to identify anyone who had received compensation.
“We have tried to ask repeatedly whether there is even one person who has received compensation, even a single shilling from the government, but no one has confirmed being compensated. We feel this compensation process has been very opaque.”
Panel Says Appeals Remain Open
The concerns come days after the government-appointed Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Human Rights Violations announced it had disbursed Sh674.1 million to 505 verified victims of human rights violations linked to demonstrations and public protests.
According to the panel, the latest phase approved 157 claims valued at Sh225.4 million, covering fatalities, severe and moderate injuries, minor injuries and survivors of aggravated sexual offences.
Families of 57 people who died each received Sh3 million, while victims with severe injuries and survivors of aggravated sexual offences received Sh1 million each. Those with moderate injuries were awarded Sh500,000, while claimants with minor injuries received Sh50,000.
The panel, chaired by Prof. Makau Mutua, said eligibility was determined through verification records obtained from IPOA and KNCHR, adding that not every applicant met the programme’s criteria.
However, it said individuals who believe they were wrongly excluded can lodge appeals by submitting supporting documents at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) or other designated centres.
Compensation Exercise Continues
The panel has also reported receiving more than 400 additional claims following a recent public appeal for victims to come forward, indicating that the compensation exercise will continue on a rolling basis.
It maintains that further verified beneficiaries will be included in subsequent phases as the verification and appeals processes continue, with the third phase of payments expected in the coming weeks.