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Raila: Victims of police brutality to be compensated soon
Former Prime Minister and ODM leader Raila Odinga during an interview at his home in Karen, Nairobi on July 19, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Mr Odinga condemned the use of excessive force by police including a recent directive by President William Ruto.
- The ODM boss said the task force would assess all claims and determine the appropriate compensation mechanisms.
Victims of police brutality during past protests will soon receive compensation from the government, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga has said.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Daily Nation and NTV, Mr Odinga revealed that a task force has been formed to oversee the compensation process which will be funded through a contingency allocation in the national budget.
“There is a contingency fund in the national budget. Compensation is going to happen soon and we have a task force handling it,” Mr Odinga said, noting that many lives were lost during the 2023 opposition-led protests and the 2024 Gen Z demonstrations.
Mr Odinga condemned the use of excessive force by police including a recent directive by President William Ruto instructing officers to “shoot protesters in the legs.”
“That is lawlessness. Police should arrest, not kill,” he said.
He criticised the government’s response to peaceful demonstrations, recalling that attempts to hold memorials for slain protesters were blocked by courts. “We eventually honoured them quietly,” he said.
The ODM leader insisted that securing justice for the victims was a critical component of the 10-point agreement that his party submitted during negotiations with the government under the National Dialogue Committee (Nadco) process.
Human rights groups and families of victims have long called for state accountability and reparations. Mr Odinga said the task force would assess all claims and determine the appropriate compensation mechanisms.
“We did not compromise; we acted for peace. But we must also honour those who paid the ultimate price by ensuring justice and restitution,” he said.
For more on this excusive interview watch NTV on Sunday at 9pm (July 20), read it on the Daily Nation
