On Monday, Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo resigned as vice chair of the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests, citing the need to preserve the Society’s independence and integrity.
The panel, created by the Head of State in August 2025, was tasked with promoting healing and advising on compensation for protestors who suffered police brutality during the 2023–2024 anti-government protests. Its mandate included consulting victims’ families, human rights bodies, civil society organisations, and others, to help make the process more transparent and fair. The Society’s mandate also requires it to remain non-partisan and free from executive influence.
In a statement released Monday to Citizen Digital, Odhiambo said she had tendered her “formal and immediate resignation” to the Head of Public Service. She explained that the ongoing legal and constitutional challenges facing the panel, coupled with its suspended operations, made it impossible to fulfill its mandate within the set timelines. In a separate statement, she expressed concerns that her government-appointed role on the panel could compromise the Society’s integrity and independence.
The panel was expected to complete its work within 120 days, but its operations were halted by a court order last month—just weeks after it began—putting the timeline in jeopardy. The 2023–2024 protests had left more than 120 people dead and hundreds injured. The matter was heard by the High Court in Kerugoya on October 6, during which the Court extended the conservatory orders first issued on September 8.
“As things stand, the time-bound mandate of the panel has been stopped by our courts, and the proposed tenure is likely to lapse before the matter is resolved,” Odhiambo said. She added that victims and civil society groups remain frustrated and are awaiting clarity on when reparations will move forward.
She added that her focus will now shift to championing victims’ rights through the LSK, which is representing several families in court over police violence. “Our team of advocates is already in Kisumu for one of the cases involving victims of police excesses,” she said, urging the Judiciary to expedite such cases.
Odhiambo reaffirmed LSK’s commitment to memorializing victims, identifying unreported cases, and pushing Parliament to strengthen laws protecting demonstrators. “We must treat reparations for victims with the same seriousness with which we treat repercussions for perpetrators,” she said.
Her resignation follows weeks of criticism from sections of the public and civil society, who accused her of aligning too closely with President William Ruto’s administration. To many, her appointment to the panel contradicted her earlier stance as a vocal defender of victims of police brutality.
Yet, her decision to serve on the panel appeared rooted in principle rather than partisanship. She had argued that the opportunity provided a platform to reform Kenya’s weak framework for victim reparations. In the face of weeks of public criticism, her departure underscores a troubling trend in public service: the rise of “cancel culture,” where aligning with the government invites suspicion or condemnation, regardless of intent.
With the High Court set to issue a decision on October 21, the panel’s future remains uncertain. No replacement vice chair has been named, and the Head of Public Service has yet to comment on Odhiambo’s resignation. Meanwhile, victims and civil society groups continue to await progress on reparations as the legal review unfolds.
Odhiambo’s exit highlights the delicate balance between collaboration and independence in Kenya’s governance landscape. By resigning to protect LSK’s credibility, she may ultimately reinforce the Society’s image as a steadfast guardian of justice and the rule of law.
