236 families compensated over deaths linked to human rights violations

The government has paid compensation to more than 700 people affected by human rights violations, including victims of police brutality during demonstrations and families who lost relatives in unlawful killings, as efforts to address past abuses continue.

The payments have covered people who sustained injuries of varying degrees, from minor to severe, as well as relatives of those who died as a result of human rights violations.

Makau Mutua, who chairs and coordinates the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Human Rights Violations, said the programme had so far settled more than 700 injury claims and compensated families in 236 fatality cases.

The panel has also dealt with more than 140 claims involving economic losses and 16 cases of sexual violence, reflecting the different forms of harm suffered by victims.

“We have compensated more than 700 injuries to date. Injuries range from severe to moderate to minor. A total of 236 fatalities have been compensated,” he said on Tuesday.

Beyond processing payments, the panel has embarked on visits to families whose cases have been addressed, with Mutua saying the team had been travelling to different parts of the country to meet relatives and offer condolences.

The outreach has included a visit to the family of Rex Masai in Nairobi, as well as a trip to Mwingi North last weekend, where the panel met relatives of other people who had benefited from the programme.

Mutua said the visits were arranged with the approval of the affected families, stressing that the panel would not compromise their privacy or dignity in the course of its work.

PRIVACY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

The panel's work has also raised questions about how much information should be made public regarding those receiving compensation, particularly given the sensitive nature of some cases.

Mutua said the team was required to balance public accountability with the protection of beneficiaries, noting that revealing their identities and personal circumstances could expose some of them to security threats.

He said data protection laws remained central to the panel's approach, adding that transparency would be pursued without placing vulnerable victims and their families in danger.

The remarks were made as the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) submitted its preliminary findings on the River Yala killings to the compensation panel.

IPOA chairperson Duncan Ojwang’ presented the report to Mutua after the panel formally sought information on October 27 concerning victims of extrajudicial killings recorded between 2013 and 2026.

The inquiry included cases associated with the River Yala killings, which have drawn attention to allegations of unlawful deaths and the need for accountability.

The panel's request followed President William Ruto's October 7 directive ordering the extension of compensation to families of victims of the killings.

The report is expected to provide information relevant to the panel's examination of the cases as it continues its work on compensation for people affected by human rights violations.