Kenya Protest Victims Demand Justice Before Compensation

As a presidential task force begins investigating compensation for victims of the 2024 Gen Z protests, families and survivors are insisting that justice must come before any financial settlements.  

The protests, sparked by a controversial Finance Bill, saw widespread youth mobilisation met with a strong response from state security, resulting in deaths, injuries, and deep mistrust. Victims argue that while monetary compensation may help, it cannot replace the need for accountability. Gillian Munyao, whose son Rex Masai died during the demonstrations, embodies this view. 

She demands that the state formally recognise the protesters as legitimate participants, not criminals, and calls for the prosecution of the officer allegedly responsible for her son’s death. For Munyao and many others, seeing those suspected of wrongdoing walk free only deepens their pain and sense of injustice. Survivors like Tobias Thuo, who sustained gunshot injuries and now faces long-term health challenges, share this frustration. 

Thuo questions why young people who exercised their civic rights are seemingly neglected while other groups receive more support. The task force, led by Professor Makau Mutua, faces the difficult task of balancing the urgency of providing reparations with the strong demand for legal accountability. Survivors are cautious about political interference, with Rodgers Mwabe, who lost a leg during the protests, warning against meddling by local politicians. 

Jacinta Onyango, who lost her 12-year-old son Kennedy, emphasises that financial compensation cannot undo the loss of life or the emotional suffering endured by families. Samuel Kinyanjui, who lost his job due to injuries sustained during the protests, urges immediate economic support, including access to credit and employment opportunities.