Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo has officially resigned from President William Ruto’s Victims Compensation Panel after weeks of public pressure and growing concerns over the panel’s legality.
President Ruto had appointed Odhiambo as the vice chairperson of the 15-member Panel of Experts tasked with spearheading compensation for victims of demonstrations and public protests across the country. However, her decision to step down comes amid a High Court suspension of the panel’s operations.
“Earlier today, I tendered my resignation from the position of Vice Chairperson of the Compensation Panel. I will continue to agitate for justice for all victims and pursue all key deliverables I had set out to attain,” Odhiambo announced yesterday.
She explained that her resignation was guided by the need to protect the integrity and independence of the Law Society of Kenya at a crucial time for the country’s democracy.
“My resignation from the panel takes cognisance of the crucial point at which Kenya finds itself in the quest for full constitutional implementation and lasting reform to our democratic context. This consequential moment for our country calls for all our rule of law institutions, especially the Law Society of Kenya, to remain unified and resolute in discharging the mandate bestowed upon us by law,” she added.
Odhiambo further noted that the High Court suspension of operations for the panel rendered its 120-day mandate, for all practical purposes, meaningless as the time-limited period would likely lapse before the matter is heard.
Even in resignation, Odhiambo vowed to keep on advocating for police brutality victims via LSK.
“My commitment to agitate for the rights of victims remains impregnable; I will continue to take up and prosecute matters on behalf of victims of police excesses during demonstrations and work towards safeguarding holistic justice for victims,” she said.
She also highlighted the urgent need to reform Kenya’s victim reparations framework. “It is not lost on me that there remains a significant gap in our victim reparations framework which must be addressed urgently. LSK will forthwith engage all justice stakeholders and human rights institutions to formulate legislative proposals to reconcile the infirmities in our laws and institutions that have left victims prejudiced and short-handed in their quest for justice,” she added.
The panel’s operations were suspended on September 8 after lawyer Levi Munyeri filed a petition challenging its establishment. Reacting to Odhiambo’s resignation, Munyeri commended her move, saying, “Faith Odhiambo, you have done the right thing. Better late than never. Now, let us turn our focus to the rest of the panel and ensure justice is delivered for our slain and injured patriots.”
Meanwhile, the High Court in Kerugoya has extended the conservatory orders barring the panel from operating until October 21, as the case continues to unfold.
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