Faith Odhiambo, President of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), has finally broken her silence after days of criticism. Kenyans had urged her to reject President William Ruto’s offer to co-chair the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Protests and Riots.
Her acceptance triggered outrage, with many accusing her of betrayal. But Odhiambo insists her decision was guided by duty, not politics. She promised to serve victims of protests, safeguard justice, and ensure accountability where the state has failed before.
Faith Odhiambo Explains Her Controversial Decision
Speaking during the panel’s swearing-in on Thursday, Faith Odhiambo strongly defended her choice. She declared that she had not betrayed Kenyans and emphasized that justice for victims of police brutality must remain central to her work.
“As I take up this responsibility, let it be known that I have in no way betrayed your trust,” she said. “Access to criminal justice remains critical in protecting the rule of law and human rights.”
Odhiambo acknowledged that the move was unpopular. She admitted many of her legal colleagues and ordinary citizens were unhappy. Still, she described her step as bold and necessary, arguing that victims’ suffering could no longer be ignored.
She reminded Kenyans of families who lost loved ones in protests, insisting their pain shaped her decision. She promised accountability, regular updates on the panel’s progress, and an unwavering commitment to ordinary citizens, not political elites.
“There is no Kenya that belongs exclusively to politicians and their children,” she said. “This process belongs to victims and the ordinary mwananchi.”
Odhiambo Highlights Failures in Judiciary
Faith Odhiambo did not shy away from pointing out weaknesses in the justice system. She cited the case of Joseph Oloo Abanja and Lensa Achieng, whose baby was killed during a midnight police raid in Kisumu. Years later, their cries for justice remain unanswered.
She accused the judiciary of dragging its feet, protecting police officers implicated in killings, and denying victims timely justice. She pointed to recent testimony by Corporal Fredrick Okapesi, who admitted altering firearm records linked to officers deployed during the June 18, 2024, Gen Z protests in Nairobi.
Such examples, she argued, expose systemic failures that leave victims helpless. According to her, prosecution-led processes are slow, unreliable, and insensitive. She stressed that without structural reforms, impunity will continue.
“The Panel of Experts that I join today bears both the duty and opportunity to spearhead a revolutionary shift in victim reparations,” she said. “Never again shall Kenyans be killed by trigger-happy officers for exercising their constitutional rights.”
A Victim-Centered Approach to Justice
Faith Odhiambo assured Kenyans that her role in the panel will push for reforms that prioritize victims. She underlined that the structure of the panel allows for a victim-led and accountability-centered process.
She said this approach will help break away from historical failures where compensation, justice, and reforms were delayed or denied. Her goal, she explained, is to ensure non-repetition of state violence, justice for families, and accountability for perpetrators.
Odhiambo reminded Kenyans of her track record—standing with arrested protesters, visiting police holding cells, and confronting state power. She insisted her allegiance remains with the people, not politicians.
“This is an unpopular but bold step,” she said. “I will not betray Kenyans. I will deliver justice to those who suffered in the protests.”
The panel, composed of 15 members, is chaired by Professor Makau Mutua, President Ruto’s Constitutional Advisor. Faith Odhiambo will serve as the vice-chairperson, a position she says gives her the responsibility and opportunity to influence meaningful change.
