A Contentious Appointment

NAIROBI - In a significant development for the contested process of compensating victims of public protests, President William Ruto on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, appointed Claris Awuor Ogangah as the new vice chairperson of the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests. [2, 3, 4] The appointment, confirmed via a gazette notice, sees Ms. Ogangah, the recently appointed chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), replace Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo, who resigned from the role in October 2025. [2, 7, 9]

This move is poised to have significant implications for Kenya's human rights landscape. It places the head of the nation's primary human rights watchdog in a leadership position on a presidential taskforce whose very legality the KNCHR has formally opposed in court. [23] This creates a complex scenario for the panel, which has been dormant since the High Court suspended its operations in September 2025 following legal challenges to its constitutionality. [12, 21, 32]

The Predecessor's Contentious Exit

Faith Odhiambo, the 51st President of the LSK, stepped down from the panel on October 6, 2025, citing multiple obstacles that rendered her role untenable. [4, 9] In her resignation statement, she pointed to the court-ordered suspension that had halted the panel's 120-day mandate, making it "not feasible to achieve the time-sensitive milestones." [2, 12] Ms. Odhiambo also alluded to the intense pressure and backlash she faced from critics who argued her participation compromised the LSK's independence and amounted to a betrayal of victims by aligning with the executive. [3, 12] She stated her oath of office demanded she protect the LSK's resilience from "any and all adversaries and detractors." [2]

A Successor with a Complicated Mandate

Claris Ogangah's appointment is notable given her position and previous statements. An Advocate of the High Court with a Master of Laws from the University of Nairobi and over two decades of experience, she was appointed KNCHR chairperson on October 2, 2025. [11, 15, 22] Her prior roles include serving as the Deputy Head of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Kenya. [11, 28]

Crucially, during her parliamentary vetting for the KNCHR position in August 2025, Ms. Ogangah herself acknowledged the potential for conflict. She told the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) that the compensation panel's mandate appeared to be "encroaching on the mandate of the commission." [29] She pledged at the time to "ensure no one encroaches on the mandate of the commission." [29] Her appointment now places her at the center of this very overlap. The KNCHR, in its legal filings supporting the petition against the taskforce, argued its establishment was an "irregular" and unconstitutional duplication of duties and an imprudent use of public funds. [23]

Background: A Panel Born from Violence and Controversy

The Panel of Experts was established by President Ruto in August 2025 to create a framework for compensating victims of demonstrations and riots dating back to 2017. [27, 30] This followed the deadly anti-Finance Bill protests in mid-2024, where nationwide demonstrations against proposed tax hikes resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries, largely attributed to police action. [14, 17, 19] According to data from the KNCHR in July 2024, at least 39 people were killed and 361 injured nationwide between June 18 and July 1, 2024. [17, 19] Other human rights bodies reported even higher fatality counts. [18]

The panel was mandated to verify and categorize victims, authenticate data from sources like the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and KNCHR, and engage with families and civil society to ensure a fair process. [21, 27] However, its formation was immediately challenged. A High Court case filed in Kerugoya resulted in a conservatory order on September 8, 2025, freezing the panel's activities. [21, 32] The petitioners argued the President had overstepped his authority and that the panel's functions were already assigned to independent bodies like the KNCHR and the Judiciary. [21, 23]

Implications for Kenya and East Africa

The appointment of the KNCHR chair to this contested panel sends a mixed signal to the Kenyan public and the international community. On one hand, it could be interpreted as an attempt by the executive to lend credibility to the stalled process by including a respected human rights figure. On the other, it raises serious questions about the independence of the KNCHR. For victims and their families, who have been demanding justice and accountability, this development adds another layer of complexity to an already fraught and delayed process. [13]

The resolution of this impasse is critical. It will not only determine the path to reparations for hundreds of victims of state-sanctioned violence but also serve as a precedent for accountability and the separation of powers in Kenya. The handling of protest-related casualties and the state's response is a closely watched issue across East Africa, where demonstrations over governance and economic hardship are common. A transparent and constitutionally sound compensation process in Kenya could set a positive regional example, while continued legal and political wrangling could further erode public trust in state institutions tasked with protecting citizens' rights.