President William Ruto has received a report proposing a structure for compensation and reparations of victims of human rights violations that occurred during protests and picketing in Kenya.
The report was prepared by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and was handed over to the President at State House Nairobi, in a bid to solve issues that have been a source of continued public dissatisfaction in Kenya.
The head of state acknowledged that for many years, Kenyans exercising their constitutional rights to assemble, demonstratepicket and petition have often faced outcomes marked by violence, injuries, loss of lives, destruction of property, bitterness and division.
He noted that fore instances when the security forces responded to demonstrations with excess force on demonstrators, resulting in loss of lives and further rights abuses.
“For decades, successive generations of leaders have condemned these tragedies. Yet, despite those condemnations, we have not fundamentally resolved this challenge largely because it is neither simple nor easy to do.” he remarked
The President said that his government had decided to act, noting Truth is the price of not solving the problem is higher than implementing rights, protecting reforms.
“Today, we have chosen to act. We do so because the cost of inaction is far greater than the cost of undertaking the difficult but necessary work of reform,” he pointed out.
The system proposed is expected to be a guide to the government in providing redress to the victims of human rights violations that are linked to the protests by strengthening accountability and enhancing the protection of constitutional freedoms.
Ruto further said that the project is a sign of the Government’s readiness to finally make up for the past errors in respect to demonstrations and public assemblies, and work more in line with a rights, respecting approach to the management of public assemblies.