OPINION: Compensation framework for human rights violation victims restores dignity, renews the nation

President William Ruto has often remarked that leadership is not an arena for seeking the loudest applause, impassioned adulation, or frenzied popularity.

It is a higher calling that demands difficult balancing acts. More often than not, it requires one to make unpopular, yet necessary and right decisions, regardless of the consequences.

One such decision is the bold move to set in motion the process of compensation and reparations for victims of human rights violations, including those arising from protests and picketing, through the framework presented by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).

This is a sensitive issue that confronted successive political administrations, yet none developed the resolve to decisively address it and restore the dignity and respect that verified victims deserve. The grave matter was marked by endless cycles of condemnation expressed in the strongest terms, but these never culminated in tangible action.

Powerful office holders of the past, who now have the temerity to lecture others on human rights, chose instead to gloss over the issue and resort to a defeatist blame game, driven by the misguided notion that resolving this perennial challenge would amount to an admission of guilt.

In President Ruto’s well-reasoned judgment, something had to give. Amends had to be made. Leadership had to be demonstrated through action.

As a member of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), which gave birth to this framework, I can attest that the issue of compensation and reparations was deeply emotive and carried significant weight. The moving testimonies of victims and the raw scars borne by affected families spoke of a debilitating burden that had weighed heavily upon them for years. What should have remained an incredibly sensitive national concern was instead turned into a political tool by certain political actors and commercial activists for personal and partisan gain.

This is a moment that the late Prime Minister, Hon. Raila Odinga, would have wished to witness. Suffice it to say that the recognition of the victims and the dignity accorded to their families is a fitting tribute to Hon. Raila, who fought long and hard for the democratic pluralism we enjoy today and for the fundamental rights guaranteed under our progressive Constitution.

The framework presented by the KNCHR is a blueprint for opening a new chapter in which human dignity and rights are protected and respected. As is our custom in the Legislature, we shall not hesitate to expeditiously enact the requisite laws and reforms necessary to fully operationalise the enjoyment of rights under Article 37. The constitutional guarantees of picketing, protesting, and defending inalienable rights must, however, be exercised peacefully and within the confines of the law.

By humbly acknowledging past wrongs and offering a sincere apology on behalf of successive administrations, President Ruto has helped lessen the burden, wipe away tears, tend to wounds, and soothe the hearts of victims. These amends should not be misconstrued as placing a price on human life or attempting to erase physical scars and years of emotional pain. Rather, they represent a recognition that every life matters, every victim matters, and that the rule of law applies equally to all. This singular act of acknowledging wrongdoing and courageously seeking to remedy historical injustices sets the nation on a path toward reconciliation and healing.

With this meaningful step toward closure, the lives of Kenyans should never again be reduced to political instruments by opportunists or extremist elements who exploit grievances and prey on collective grief. The compassion and empathy shown toward victims, together with the proposed guidelines for law enforcement agencies in managing public demonstrations and assemblies, mark only the beginning of the Kenya we all aspire to build.

In the life of our nation, President Ruto’s action heralds a new chapter of renewal. It reflects the conviction that Kenya cannot continue walking the same painful path generation after generation. Through such deliberate acts of justice and accountability, we shall build a more just, responsive, and democratic nation.

The writer is the Senate Majority Leader and Senator for Kericho County.