Senior Advisor to President William Ruto on Constitutional Affairs, Professor Makau Mutua, has slammed the United Opposition, accusing it of hypocrisy over the government’s plan to compensate victims of recent protests.
In an interview with a local TV station on Wednesday, September 10, Mutua explained that for the past two years, Kenyans had reached a national consensus on the need to support families who lost loved ones, breadwinners, or property during demonstrations.
“I think there are individuals who are trying to turn what we are doing into a political football. For the last two years, since these demos began, there has been a national consensus across the country that victims must be compensated,” Mutua said.
He criticized opposition leaders who had long pushed for compensation but are now questioning the sincerity of the initiative.
“It looks to me to be quite hypocritical that the same people who have been calling for compensation, especially in the United Opposition, are now turning around to say that this effort is not genuine,” he added.
Ruto’s Panel Responds to Victims’ Cries
Mutua defended President Ruto, saying the creation of the compensation panel was a direct response to public demands.
“The President, in establishing our panel, is rightfully responding to the cries of the people,” he said.
As chairperson of President Ruto’s Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Protests, Mutua noted that Kenya’s 15-year-old constitution is still in its formative years, with citizens learning how to exercise democratic rights such as free speech and association.
He described the violence witnessed in the past two years as deeply regrettable, stressing that many families had lost children, loved ones, and breadwinners.
“The performance of democracy is a very difficult thing. I said when we were speaking at KICC during the Katiba Day that our constitution is only 15 years of age. We are learning how to perform, particularly the right to speak and the right to associate. It is a complex process for us to master this ritual of democracy. What we have seen over the last two years and the first part of this year is regrettable. What my panel seeks to do, first, is to cool down temperatures in the country because people have lost loved ones, children, and breadwinners,” Mutua said.
Panel Battles Suspension in Court
At the same time, the panel has filed an urgent application in the High Court at Kerugoya seeking to overturn conservatory orders that froze its operations.
Eighteen interested parties filed a Notice of Motion and Certificate of Urgency, warning that unless the case is heard quickly, the panel’s 120-day mandate could expire before victims receive compensation.
Justice Magare Dennis Kizito Ngwono issued the orders ex parte on September 8, halting the panel’s activities and raising fears that its work may not be completed within the set timeframe.
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