Families of Kenyans killed, abducted or reported missing during protests should receive full compensation, Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo has said, accusing the government of failing to deliver justice to many victims of alleged human rights violations.
Speaking on Radio Generation’s Power File on Monday, Maanzo said the compensation process had left out some victims despite the government acknowledging a high number of deaths linked to protests.
“We want all abducted persons compensated. All people who have disappeared, and there are quite a number, compensated,” Maanzo said.
The senator said no Kenyan should have lost their life at the hands of state agencies, pointing to the number of deaths the government has acknowledged in connection with protests.
“The number of people killed and admitted by the government are huge, so no one should have died in the hands of government,” he said.
Maanzo also accused security agencies of failing to follow the law when dealing with demonstrations, saying protesters should first be given a clear warning before police move to disperse them.
“Ordinarily the law is very clear under the Penal Code and the Public Order Act that wherever there is a demonstration, people should first be given a proclamation loud and clear,” he said.
He said protesters should then be allowed 15 minutes to leave before security agencies take further action.
“This is the existing law, and then after that, then actually by law, whatever happens to you, you can never blame anybody,” he said.
According to Maanzo, the required procedure was not followed during some demonstrations, contributing to cases where victims and their families have yet to get justice.
“So that has never been done, and we are saying justice has not been done for the people of Kenya,” Maanzo said.
He pointed to families still searching for relatives who disappeared during protests, including five young men he referred to as the “Muloti boys”.
“Some have disappeared permanently. You remember the Muloti boys; five of them were captured. They have never been seen alive,” he said.
Maanzo also turned his attention to the 2027 General Election, urging young Kenyans to register as voters and take part in the electoral process.
He said the youth could have an important role in protecting the vote and determining the outcome of the election.
The senator accused President William Ruto of using state machinery and public resources to campaign, but said the final decision would rest with Kenyan voters.
“Finally, the people of Kenya will decide,” he said.
Data from the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) shows that 1,815 claims of human rights violations linked to protests were documented, with 1,101 victims verified across six categories for possible compensation.
The government has set aside Sh2 billion to compensate victims of protest-related human rights abuses.
The verified cases include 245 victims involving violations of the right to life, 473 cases involving freedom and security of the person, 35 cases of enforced disappearance, 135 cases of torture, 75 cases of sexual violence and 138 cases involving property rights.
The KNCHR has said compensation is only one part of the reparations process, which also includes restitution, rehabilitation, acknowledgement and guarantees that similar violations will not happen again.