Nairobi: The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning, John Mbadi, has reaffirmed the government's position to compensate victims of anti-government protests. Speaking over the weekend during a fundraising event to support the construction of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church- South West Nyanza, Mbadi highlighted that this initiative, which has been agreed upon by President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, is unprecedented in Africa and represents a significant step toward national reconciliation.
According to Kenya News Agency, the programme will also extend compensation to police officers who have been injured or killed in the line of duty. Addressing concerns raised by opposition leaders regarding the funding, Mbadi referenced Article 223 of the Constitution, which empowers him as Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning to allocate funds as deemed necessary. He stated, "We have a need to compensate people who have suffered since 2017 from the anti-government protests, and those who are criticizing this noble idea are not sincere."
Opposition leaders, led by Kalonzo Musyoka, have been questioning the legal framework of the compensation agenda, which aims to compensate victims from January 1, 2017, to July 31, 2025. In response, Mbadi emphasized his constitutional authority to make funds available to ensure that affected Kenyans benefit.
President William Ruto has appointed his Senior Advisor on Constitutional Affairs and Human Rights, Prof Makau Mutua, as the Principal Coordinator of the State Intervention and Compensation Framework. Mutua will collaborate with the Office of the President, the Office of the Attorney General, the Treasury, the Ministry of Interior, and other relevant state agencies to ensure that the compensation process is completed within 120 days.