Ruto Announces Compensation for River Yala Victims, Other Missing Persons

Ruto Announces Compensation for River Yala Victims, Other Missing Persons

President William Ruto has announced that families whose relatives’ bodies were recovered from River Yala will be included in the government’s compensation programme for victims of human rights violations.

Ruto said the compensation would also cover other victims of enforced and extrajudicial disappearances, expanding the programme beyond people affected by protests and demonstrations.

The President made the announcement on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, during the official handover and commissioning of the Raila Odinga Mausoleum at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County.

Ruto linked the compensation programme to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s long-standing campaign for electoral justice and wider democratic reforms.

Ruto outlines KSh2 billion compensation programme

The President said the government had set aside KSh2 billion for compensation of verified victims affected by protests and other human rights violations between 2013 and 2025.

He said hundreds of families had already received payments and pledged that the government would continue processing verified claims.

“Raila was a fighter. He pushed hard. He pushed hard to extend the boundaries of our democracy.”

Ruto added that the compensation programme was part of efforts to address grievances associated with past political and human rights violations.

“We set aside Sh2 billion and hundreds of families have already been paid, and we will not stop until every verified victim receives justice.”

The President then specifically extended the programme to families affected by the River Yala deaths and other cases involving alleged extrajudicial disappearances.

“This compensation will extend to the families of the many whose bodies were recovered here in River Yala and other victims of extrajudicial disappearance.”

River Yala bodies remain a major issue

The announcement brings renewed attention to the discovery of dozens of bodies in River Yala between 2021 and 2022.

The deaths have previously been linked by some observers and families to allegations of abductions, killings and enforced disappearances. However, the circumstances surrounding the deaths have remained contested, and allegations of state involvement have not been established through an independent inquiry.

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, who served in government when the bodies were discovered, has repeatedly called for a commission of inquiry into the matter.

In September, Matiang’i said he was ready to appear before any inquiry and give evidence concerning events during his tenure.

“On the issue of River Yala, I am the one who called for a commission of inquiry. I said that if there is an issue about what I said and what was said in the Security Council, then we should go public.”

He also challenged the government to establish a formal investigation into the deaths.

“You can set up a commission of inquiry even at KICC. I am ready to swear with the Bible. I will be the first to arrive there very early in the morning.”

Over 1,000 compensation claims processed

The latest development comes as the government continues implementing its wider victims’ compensation programme.

The Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Human Rights Violations reported in September that it had processed 1,083 claims, with about KSh1.014 billion disbursed to verified beneficiaries.

The claims cover fatalities, injuries, sexual violence, economic losses and other recognised forms of harm. Each claim undergoes verification and authentication before compensation is approved.

The panel has also been handling claims involving small business owners who suffered economic losses during demonstrations, as well as other categories of victims.

Ruto’s latest announcement means families connected to River Yala deaths and other verified cases of extrajudicial disappearance will now be considered within the compensation framework.

The government has maintained that payments will continue as eligible claims are verified, while questions surrounding individual cases remain subject to the relevant investigative and legal processes.

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Ruto Announces Compensation for River Yala Victims, Other Missing Persons