Gachagua slams Ruto’s compensation scheme for protest victims
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has scolded the government over its newly announced plan to compensate families of protest victims, describing the move as insincere and deceptive.
His remarks come just days after President William Ruto announced the formation of a task force to look into a compensation framework for those who lost loved ones during the wave of anti-government demonstrations.
You might also like
Speaking during a public event in San Francisco, California, US, on Sunday, August 10, 2025, Gachagua accused the government of trying to appease international observers while ignoring the root cause of the crisis, state-sanctioned violence.
“They are trying to do some little interventions to deceive the United States and the world that they are doing something. So, the president has formed a committee to look into how to compensate those who have been killed. “How do you kill people and then compensate them?” he said.
The former DP, who has increasingly distanced himself from the Ruto administration since his ouster, said no amount of money could bring back the lives lost under what he termed as repressive and unconstitutional crackdowns.
“It is to compensate families that have lost their children, but it is immoral to kill children and then compensate their parents,” he said.
“Why don’t you let them live, because if they live, there is no need for compensation?”
Gachagua also called on the President to immediately withdraw what he described as deadly directives issued to security agencies during the protests.
“What he should do before talking of compensation is first stop the killing and rescind his order to shoot the leg and rescind the order to Kipchumba Murkomen to shoot to kill,” Gachagua declared.
Gachagua buckles up
He further challenged President Ruto to publicly take responsibility for the deaths and enforced disappearances, arguing that compensation without accountability amounts to political doublespeak.
“The President needs to admit liability and apologise to the parents and the people of Kenya. You cannot pretend to compensate Kenyans, yet you have not rescinded the orders. That is doublespeak, and it is not genuine,” Gachagua charged.
The sharp rebuke from Gachagua comes amid mounting criticism of the state’s handling of protests that erupted in June 2024 and the anniversary in 2025, largely driven by youth opposing the Finance Bill and other government policies. Human rights organisations have reported widespread abuses, including abductions, torture, and extrajudicial killings allegedly committed by shadowy state actors.
While the police service has denied involvement in the abductions, no concrete investigations have been made public, and families of missing youth continue to demand answers.
Ruto’s move to create a compensation task force has been seen by some as a step toward reconciliation, but Gachagua argues that it is a public relations stunt meant to placate international pressure without addressing core issues of justice and accountability.
