‘Remain undeterred, Faith!’ – Gladys Wanga defends under-fire LSK president after appointment by Ruto
By Nancy Marende, September 7, 2025Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has defended the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo, following criticism over her appointment to the Presidential Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Protests and Riots.
In a statement on Sunday, September 7, 2025, Wanga questioned why the issue of compensating victims of state brutality was being treated with hostility, arguing that the initiative aligns with the LSK’s core mandate of standing for justice and amplifying the voices of the voiceless.
“How would compensation of victims be so wrong as to warrant this level of bastardisation? At the heart of LSK’s mandate is being at the table on behalf of the voiceless. Remain undeterred, Faith!” Wanga said.
The panel
Her remarks come a few days after the newly formed Panel of Experts on the Compensation of Victims of Protests and Riots was officially sworn in at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
Also watch: Ruto appoints Faith Odhiambo as vice-chair of compensation panel
The ceremony, held on Thursday, September 4, 2025, saw Constitutional Advisor Professor Makau Mutua take the oath of office as chairperson of the panel, alongside Faith Odhiambo.
Other members include Kennedy N. Ogeto, Irungu Houghton, John Olukuru, Kennedy Barasa Simiyu, Linda Musumba, Duncan Ojwang’, Naini Lankas, Francis Muraya, Juliet Chepkemei, Pius Metto, Fatuma Kinsi Abass, and Raphael Anampiu.
The technical team is led by Richard Barno, supported by Duncan A. Okelo Ndeda as co-technical lead. Jerusah Mwaathime Michael and Raphael Ng’etich serve as joint secretaries.
The swearing-in comes a week after President William Ruto appointed the 15-member Panel of Experts tasked with fast-tracking the compensation of victims of public protests since 2017.
Also watch: Ekuru Aukot says protest victims’ compensation without justice is cosmetic
The announcement was made through a Gazette Notice issued by the State House on Tuesday, August 26, 2025.
“The panel will ensure that every victim receives timely and fair compensation, while also addressing accountability where necessary,” Ruto said in the Gazette Notice.
The panel will design and implement an operational framework to verify, categorise, and support eligible victims.
It will engage with families, civil society organisations, faith-based institutions, and relevant state agencies to ensure transparency, fairness, and inclusivity throughout the process.
The panel’s mandate includes authenticating data from authoritative sources such as the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), the National Police Service, and the Ministry of Health.