Aasai

Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo has clarified that she is not working with the government following her appointment as the Vice-Chairperson of the Panel of Experts on Compensation for Victims of Protests and Riots. 

Following her swearing-in on September 4, Kenyans have sparked debate, saying she would betray the course of justice amid human rights violations during the protests. In a denial on Thursday, Odhiambo insisted that she is still committed to upholding the law and has not held any meetings with or on behalf of the panel.

She claimed that she is not working for the Government and is on the panel to serve and discharge her assigned role only. "I would like to emphasize that I am not working for the Government of Kenya or the opposition; my calling is to serve the people of Kenya and my learned colleagues in the Law Society of Kenya," she said.

 She also welcomed the decision of the Kerugoya High Court, which temporarily suspended the implementation of President William Rutos order to establish a compensation mechanism for victims of protests. “Pending the hearing of the case, the court stayed the commencement of the mandate of the Panel of Experts on Compensation for Victims of Protests and Public Demonstrations and stayed the operation of Gazette Notice No. 12002 of August 25, 2025, which appointed the panel to make the order of the court,” the statement read. 

The LSK president added that so far he has been consulting on the merits of compensating the victims of the protests and “listening carefully to the voices of the victims”. “I know that there are many Kenyans who were killed and injured, while others were named and brought to court on false charges,” he added.

 Odhiambo called on the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to review the terrorism charges against peaceful protesters and focus on prosecuting officers who were arrested for using excessive force during the protests. Odhiambo is part of an 18-member committee headed by Prof. Makau Mutua, who is President William Ruto’s senior adviser on constitutional and human rights issues. The team was tasked with facilitating compensation for victims of the protests and demonstrations that began in 2017.

 Amnesty International Kenya’s Executive Director, Irũngũ Houghton, who is also part of the panel, has also suspended her participation in the panel. She maintained that she will not perform any duties on the panel until further orders from the High Court.

 “It is to be noted that apart from being sworn in, I have not participated in any meetings or activities with or for the Panel of Experts on Compensation for Victims of Protests and Demonstrations,” she said in a statement.