Victims of police violence during demonstrations who have not yet lodged compensation claims have until November 14, 2026, to do so, the government-appointed panel handling the payouts has said, warning that late applicants risk being left out.

The Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests, chaired by Prof Makau Mutua, says it will stop receiving new claims after that date. All claims received by the deadline, including those already filed, will go through verification and authentication before decisions are made.

More than 1,000 paid so far

The panel says over 1,000 victims have so far been compensated, with reported payouts running above Sh1 billion. Claims cover deaths, physical injuries, sexual violence and economic losses. Prof Mutua told Citizen Digital the panel was considering seeking an extension of its mandate.

"This exercise of repair is the first in a long series of a long process that the president has initiated," Prof Mutua said, adding that prosecutions and laws to govern protests were also part of the plan.

He stressed that the payouts are separate from investigations into police conduct and will not shield any officer found culpable.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), whose chairperson Duncan Ojwang' has been supplying investigative records to the panel, says it already has most of the information needed. "IPOA has 90% of the data of those who have been hurt in protests," Mr Ojwang' said.

Families still in court

For some families, money has not ended the pain. The panel has visited the family of Rex Masai, the young man shot dead in Nairobi during the June 2024 protests against the Finance Bill. The family has received compensation, but his mother, Gillian Munyao, said they were worn out by repeated court appearances in a case that is yet to be decided.

His father, Chrisphine Odawa, said in Kiswahili that the family had forgiven but prayed that no other family would go through the same loss.

How to file

  • Deadline for new claims: November 14, 2026
  • Where: the panel's offices on the ground floor of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Nairobi
  • Who qualifies: people injured, sexually abused or who suffered economic losses, and families of those killed, during demonstrations and public protests

The panel says applicants will be told the outcome of their claims in due course and has asked them to be patient during verification. President William Ruto extended the panel's term by 90 days from September 4.

Photos: The Star (handout); Capital FM Kenya via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0). Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.