Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo has defended her decision to join President William Ruto’s Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Protests and Riots, dismissing claims that the move amounts to betrayal.
In her speech at the committee’s swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, September 4, Odhiambo said she had not betrayed Kenyans’ trust and assured them that she would not let them down.
The LSK President added that she will keep Kenyans informed of developments and emphasized that at no point will she act to undermine the gains made together as a country.
Faith Odhiambo Denies Betrayal, Justifies Taking Up the Role
She added that her service on the compensation panel would be solely to the people of Kenya, noting that it is her solemn patriotic duty to ensure her contributions acknowledge the voices of those who have suffered while protecting the victims and their dependents from being silenced.
“As I take up this responsibility, let it be known that I have in no way betrayed your trust. Let it be clear that access to criminal justice remains critical to me in our quest to promote and protect the rule of law as an essential element in the enjoyment of the fundamental human rights and freedoms,” she said.
“Faith Odhiambo will not let you down! The bloodshed by our comrades must not be in vain. No, I will not even take any prisoners in this cause.”
Odhiambo acknowledged that she had taken a bold but unpopular step. She noted that while some of her colleagues in the legal profession may not support the move, thousands of Kenyans have also voiced their reservations.
She stated that her countless encounters with Kenyans who have suffered at the hands of law enforcers remind her of how much more still needs to be done to reform the nation.
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Faith added that every conversation with inconsolable family members of victims who paid the ultimate price “raises the question of whether a country can claim to have a conscience when it harms its own people and leaves victims to fend for themselves, clinging to the unyielding hope that a system that has never put them first will somehow serve their interests.
“I have heard your cries and listened to your concerns; in the same vein, I have heard the cries of the victims’ families like Mama Angeline Okinda in Bondo. The pain shared by Jonah Kariuki, Mama Gillian Munyao, and many other parents whose sons and daughters have fallen into the hands of Kenya Police officers,” she said.
“As we keep arguing on what Faith Odhiambo should decline or accept, Joseph Oloo Abanja and Lensa Achieng are still raw with emotions while the Judicial system drags its feet on the case against Kenya Police officers who killed their baby daughter during a brutal midnight operation in Nyalenda, Kisumu.”
She highlighted a case in which, on Monday this week, Corporal Fredrick Okapesi told the court that he had altered records of firearms issued to police officers deployed during the Gen Z-led protests in Nairobi on June 18, 2024.
Odhiambo Vows to Champion Victim-Centred Justice on Ruto’s Compensation Panel
The LSK boss added that it is unfortunate the existing legal and institutional framework does not adequately address legitimate public concerns arising from such historic crises.
She asserted that victims are instead subjected to a prosecution-led process dependent on a conclusive criminal cycle, which has proven too slow, unreliable, and unresponsive to the needs and circumstances of victims.
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According to Faith, the Panel of Experts that she joins bears both the duty and opportunity to spearhead a revolutionary shift in victim reparations.
“Never again shall Kenyans be killed by trigger-hungry officers for expressing their rights on the streets,” she affirmed.
“The unprecedented structure and scope of mandate of this Panel give room for a victim-led, accountability-centred approach towards realising holistic justice for victims. Let us serve the nation diligently: fellow panelists, we must discharge our duty as voices of justice, reparation, reforms, and non-occurrence.”
Faith Odhiambo recalled that she often received calls as early as 3:45 a.m., including on Sundays, while in church. When she was unavailable, the calls were redirected to her husband, mother, colleagues in the Council, friends, and even former schoolmates.
She noted that many of these calls come from ordinary Kenyans grappling with widespread concerns about accountability for human rights violations, the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in addressing state-sanctioned infractions, and the role of government, the public, and civil society in ensuring holistic justice for all victims.
“For over one year, I have known no peace. Since the 18th day of June 2024, my phones have not stopped ringing with phone calls, messages, and WhatsApp alerts from Kenyans in distress,” she recalled.
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