Prof. Makau Mutua, Chairperson of the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Human Rights Violations. [File,Standard]
A protest reparations panel has approved compensation for 49 police officers, awarding them Sh25.75 million alongside payments to civilians who suffered human rights violations.
The Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Human Rights Violations approved seven claims involving severe injuries, 37 for moderate injuries and five for minor injuries, according to an update issued Friday, August 7.
"In acknowledgement of the dedication by our uniformed officers to protecting the public, the Panel has resolved to grant appropriate compensation for the human rights violations they sustained during the period in question," the panel said.
The inclusion of police officers adds a new dimension to a compensation programme created against the backdrop of protests in which police conduct has faced scrutiny.
During protests between June 17 and July 7, 2025, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) recorded 65 deaths, 342 civilian injuries and 171 injuries to police officers.
IPOA said most of the deaths were linked mainly to police actions during crowd-control operations.
The compensation programme grew out of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) process, which sought to address political and governance tensions in Kenya.