Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohamed has called out a section of leaders in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party who are opposing the Ksh2 billion compensation for victims of protests.
In a statement on Monday, June 22, Junet said the compensation of victims of protests has been a long-standing position of the ODM Party.
He noted that after the 2018 handshake between retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and late ODM leader Raila Odinga, the party pushed for the compensation of victims of protests, but it did not materialize.
“The ODM Party, since 2007, has always maintained that the victims of post-election and protest-related violence be compensated for their losses, even as justice is pursued to bring perpetrators to book.
“Even after the 2018 handshake, we spent considerable time demanding the state compensates the victims of the 2013 and 2017 post-poll violence. Needless to say, the government never compensated the victims,” said Junet.
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The Suna East MP maintained that ODM leaders arguing that compensation be paid after those responsible have been prosecuted do not want the victims to be compensated.
Junet also claimed that those opposing the compensation programme were previously at the forefront, demanding compensation for the victims.
“Majority of these people, particularly the ODM rebels without a cause, were at the forefront in demanding compensation, so much so that they were threatening to pull the party out of the government. What changed?” he posed.
The National Assembly Minority Leader also cited the government's move to purchase land to resettle internally displaced persons (IDPs) following the 2007 post-election violence.
Junet argued that the initiative was a form of compensation that was widely accepted at the time.
“The buying of land to resettle IDPs was a form of compensation that no one opposed; was justice irrelevant then?” Junet questioned.
Further, Junet emphasized that the families of victims of protests deserve to be compensated for the suffering they endured.
“A true ODM leader cannot oppose compensation of the party supporters and other innocent Kenyans who suffered political violence during our long years of protests” he added.
Junet’s remarks come days after Siaya Governor James Orengo criticized the government over the Ksh2 billion proposed plan to compensate victims of protests.
In a press statement on June 16, Governor Orengo said the Ksh2 billion is insufficient to compensate the victims.
He alleged that the compensation framework does not address the root causes of human rights violations and instead appears designed to manage public outrage.
The Siaya County boss also argued that the government is focusing on compensation rather than accountability.
“The rush to operationalize the framework is a rushed attempt to manage public outrage over deaths and injuries associated with demonstrations in few days following to the Gen Z Memorial on 25th June 2026.
“This does not address the root of the violations. Instead of focusing on accountability and guarantees of non-repetition, the Government appears prepared to place a price tag on the lives of Kenyan citizens,” said Orengo.
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