Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo has said she resigned from the government-appointed police victims’ compensation panel because of stalled processes, lack of political support, and an absence of a functional legal framework to deliver justice to victims of police violence.
Speaking during an interview on Radio Generation, Odhiambo said her decision came after facing the harsh realities of victims’ suffering firsthand.
“I did join the panel from a point of view that I wanted to do good,” Odhiambo said.
“You meet these victims, you see the families, you engage with them… my daughter has lost her leg, my son is bedridden, we’ve lost the breadwinner. And apart from going to court and trying to follow up, people don’t understand the pain, the dejection, and the psychosocial frustrations that victims go through.”
She recalled incidents where children were killed or injured while exercising their civil rights.
“You saw the child who was in school, getting on the school bus, a straight bullet ended his life. His parents did not know that it could have been the reality that my child could face. Expressing your rights should not be life-changing,” she said.
Odhiambo criticized the slow progress of the justice system, noting that court rulings in favor of victims often remained pending, while many cases were dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
“Particularly for those treated at Kenya National Hospital, when you go in for an operation and come back, there are no bullets to serve as evidence. Without evidence, you cannot prove who shot you,” she explained.
She further highlighted systemic gaps, including the non-operational Victim Compensation Fund and lack of avenues to fast-track cases of violations by police.
“We don’t have a framework that is working. I’ve raised it several times. The Chief Justice has not set it in place. We, Kenyans, live in the frustration of cases… filing a case for five, ten years is exhausting, especially if you’re not financially supported,” she said.
Odhiambo said the panel failed to make meaningful progress and could not address the urgent needs of victims.
“Time was running, frustrations continued, and we continued to see violations by the police with no accountability. I decided to resign to focus on other avenues to support victims through the Law Society while pushing for proper legal frameworks,” she said.
She called on the government to operationalize the Kenya National Commission and establish a legal framework that guarantees public participation, ensures compensation, and protects all citizens.
“The government has the duty to protect its people. We cannot leave victims forgotten once public attention moves on,” Odhiambo warned, emphasizing the need for systemic reforms to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent further injustices.
