Sifuna and Osotsi want clarity on pay for protest victims

L-R: Kisumu Governor Peter Anyang Nyong'o ,Edwin Sifuna& Godfrey Osotsi [File-Standard]

Two Senators have intensified pressure on the government to explain how it intends to implement the Sh2 billion compensation and reparation programme for victims of demonstration-related violence.

The push by Vihiga Senator  Godfrey Osotsi and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna comes amid concerns over transparency,  justice and continued reports of human rights violations that have been witnessed in the country in the recent past.

Senator Osotsi sought a statement from the Senate Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights, demanding details on the identification of beneficiaries, compensation timelines and measures to ensure accountability for abuses committed during public demonstrations.

“While we acknowledge that the allocation of Sh2 billion had offered hope to affected families, many victims and their relatives continued to suffer from loss, trauma and uncertainty,” said Osotsi.

He told the Senate that concerns have been raised about transparency, accountability and whether the programme will adequately address the plight of all victims, underscoring the need for clarity and justice in its implementation.

Osotsi asked for disclosure of criteria used to identify beneficiaries, number of claims received, verification procedures and timelines for compensation and updates on support being offered to families of those killed, injured or subjected to torture and other human rights violations.

Senator Osotsi further demanded information on efforts to trace missing persons linked to demonstrations, progress of investigations into enforced disappearances and assistance being extended to affected families.

“We need details on investigations, prosecutions and disciplinary action against individuals implicated in unlawful killings, torture and enforced disappearances, as well as reforms aimed at preventing future violations during protests and political rallies,” said Osotsi.

Senator Sifuna argued that the debate should go beyond compensation and focus on preventing the violations that give rise to such payments and that we should not even be having that conversation in the first place because we are a country that is governed by the rule of law.

Sifuna told the house there should not be people to compensate in the first place since most families would prefer justice and the return of their loved ones rather than financial compensation since they will not compensate them for their burial.

“This government has continued to create new victims even as it sought to compensate those affected during previous demonstrations, we all saw what happened during the recent security operations during the Gen Z anniversary protests and Saba Saba demonstrations,” said Sifuna.

The Nairobi Senator said that they want that compensation to be paid out but it is not something that someone can be proud of pride in and instead they should be pushing for justice and an end to the kind of behaviour that cause these people to die in the first place.