Faith Odhiambo Defends Role in Protest Victims Panel

Law Society of Kenya President Faith Odhiambo has defended her decision to join a presidential panel on protest-related compensation, following sustained public criticism and concerns from within the legal community.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre on Thursday, Odhiambo addressed concerns about her appointment as vice-chairperson of the newly formed panel, which was established by President William Ruto to oversee reparations for victims of protests and riots. 

Critics have questioned the independence of a panel created by the same administration accused of enabling police violence during recent demonstrations. Odhiambo said her decision was guided by a commitment to justice and the rights of victims, despite widespread dissent. 

“I have today chosen a bold but unpopular step,” she said. “However, my focus will remain on the victims.”

In her remarks, she highlighted the urgent need for redress, citing specific cases such as that of Joseph Oloo Abanja and Lensa Achieng, whose infant daughter was killed during a police operation in Kisumu. She criticised the judiciary’s slow response to such cases and pointed to systemic failures that she said have allowed implicated officers to avoid accountability.

She also referenced recent court testimony from Corporal Fredrick Okapesi, who admitted to altering firearm records after the Gen Z protests in Nairobi, as evidence of entrenched impunity within security agencies. Odhiambo argued that existing legal and institutional frameworks are inadequate to address the scale and impact of protest-related harm. 

Victims, she noted, often face lengthy and opaque legal processes that delay justice and cause further emotional distress. She described the panel as an opportunity to establish a victim-focused approach to reparations.

“The Panel of Experts that I join today bears both the duty and opportunity to spearhead a revolutionary shift in victim reparations,” she said. “Never again shall Kenyans be killed by trigger-happy officers for exercising their constitutional rights.”

The 15-member panel is chaired by Professor Makau Mutua, a constitutional law expert and presidential advisor. Members were drawn from the legal profession, civil society, and human rights organisations. 

The panel’s responsibilities include verifying claims, recommending compensation, and proposing reforms to prevent similar incidents in future. It has a 120-day mandate and is funded under the Public Finance Management Act. Odhiambo, who has previously been arrested while defending protesters, reaffirmed her loyalty to the public rather than political leaders. 

“There is no Kenya that belongs exclusively to politicians and their children,” she said. “This process belongs to the victims and the ordinary mwananchi.”