President William Ruto /PCS
President William Ruto has hailed a newly unveiled framework for reparations for victims of human rights violations as a historic step towards justice, reconciliation and the strengthening of Kenya’s democracy.
Speaking at State House, Nairobi, while receiving a report
from the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights on the Framework for
Reparations for Victims of Human Rights Violations, Ruto said the initiative
marks a significant milestone in addressing the suffering endured by Kenyans
during periods of unrest and political turmoil.
“This framework is a major milestone in protecting the rights of those harmed during protests, advancing social reconciliation, providing redress for victims and strengthening democracy,” the President said.
Ruto described the occasion as historic and solemn, noting that it represented an acknowledgement of injustices that have for years gone unresolved.
“This is a significant moment and a solemn one because we seek to make amends for harms that have never been repaid,” he said. “No compensation can restore a life lost, no reparation can fully erase the pain of a parent who lost a child, a spouse who lost a partner or a family forever changed by tragedy.”
The President said the country was taking a decisive step towards healing by moving beyond statements of sympathy to concrete action.
“Today we take an important step. We move beyond words. This marks the beginning of the end to a painful chapter,” he said.
Ruto emphasised that the right to assemble, picket, demonstrate and petition is protected by the constitution and should not be viewed as a privilege granted by the state.
“The right to assembly, picket, demonstrate and petition is not a favour from the state. It is a constitutional guarantee and one of the freedoms that define Kenya as a democratic nation,” he said.
However, he lamented that public demonstrations have often been accompanied by violence, deaths, destruction of property and deep social divisions.
“For far too long, whenever Kenyans exercise these rights, the outcome has been violence, loss of life, destruction of property, bitterness and division. Families have buried loved ones, young people have carried physical and emotional scars and communities have been left traumatised,” he said.
The President acknowledged that competing narratives have
often emerged after such incidents, with some blaming police brutality while
others point to criminal elements that infiltrate protests.
“One side points to police brutality and another to criminal elements and goons, and then we move on only to repeat the cycle again,” he said.
To demonstrate the government's commitment to justice and reconciliation, Ruto announced that the state has allocated Sh2 billion towards compensating victims who suffered harm during protests and related incidents.
“As a demonstration of our commitment, we have allocated Sh2 billion towards compensation for those who have suffered from protests. This is the beginning of the journey and not the end,” he said.
He clarified that the compensation should not be interpreted as placing a monetary value on human life or suffering.
“Let me be clear, the payments are not the price of life, pain or loss because no amount of money can ever be,” he said. “What it represents is the State’s acknowledgement that harm occurred, that victims matter and that a nation heals by tending to its wounds rather than pretending they do not exist.”
The President further stressed that the reparations programme was not intended to reward lawlessness.
“Nor is this redress a reward for violence or looting. It is a redress for harm suffered by citizens,” he said.
According to the framework developed by KNCHR, the reparations programme is anchored on five key pillars: compensation, restitution, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition.
The
commission said it undertook extensive technical work, including mapping areas
most affected by protest-related and other human rights violations and
consulting stakeholders to develop a transparent, accountable and comprehensive
mechanism for delivering justice to victims.
