Government Setback as Court Blocks Protest Compensation Panel
The High Court in Kirinyaga has stopped the government from implementing a framework for compensating victims of public protests and demonstrations.
Justice Magare Dennis Kizito issued the orders on Monday, September 8 after an application by Levi Munteri who is challenging the State Law Office, Interior Ministry and other state agencies.
According to the ruling, the judge has temporarily stopped the operations of the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests established under Gazette Notice No. 12002 of August 23, 2025.
“The commencement of the panel’s mandate has been stayed until the main application is heard and determined,” the court document reads.
Justice Noyono also barred the government and its agents from acting on President William Ruto’s August 6, 2025 proclamation that created the framework, and all parties must file their responses in court. Respondents have seven days to file their replies, while the applicant has three days to file counterarguments.
The matter will be heard in Kerugoya on October 10, 2025 after all submissions are filed. The court warned that any disobedience of the order will attract legal consequences.
This means the government’s initiative launched just a few weeks ago to compensate those affected by demonstrations has been put on hold. The program had appointed Professor Makau Mutua as chairperson of the panel, deputized by Law Society of Kenya President Faith Odhiambo.
Other members include Kennedy Ogeto, Irungu Houghton, John Olukuru, Reverend Kennedy Barasa Simiyu, Linda Musumba, and Duncan Ojwang, among others. The technical team is led by Richard Barno, with Duncan Okelo Ndeda as co-technical lead.
The committee was to design a fair and inclusive framework to verify, categorize and compensate victims of protests and riots. It was also to consult widely with families of victims, civil society, religious leaders and human rights agencies while authenticating victim data from official sources such as IPOA, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights and Ministry of Health.
For now, all its activities are frozen pending the outcome of the court case.
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Government Setback as Court Blocks Protest Compensation Panel