Nairobi, October 6, 2025 — Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo has resigned from the government-appointed Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests, citing the need to safeguard the independence of the legal profession and uphold the rule of law.
Odhiambo, who was appointed as the Vice Chairperson of the panel by the Head of Public Service through a notice published on August 25, said her resignation took effect immediately.
“Accordingly, I have today handed in my formal and immediate resignation from the position of Vice Chairperson of the Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests to the Head of Public Service,” she stated.
The LSK President said her decision was informed by the Society’s long-standing role in defending constitutionalism and human rights, particularly amid rising concerns over police excesses during demonstrations.
“As resilient as the resolve of the Law Society of Kenya has been in upholding the rule of law throughout Kenya’s history — especially in the last two years — my oath of office demands that I do all it takes to preserve such resilience from any and all adversaries and detractors,” she added.
Odhiambo noted that the panel’s work had been stalled by court orders, which effectively stopped its operations before it could begin its 120-day mandate. She also cited growing frustration from victims seeking justice and reparations for injuries and deaths caused during protests.
“It is not feasible to achieve the time-sensitive milestones I undertook to achieve, and I must therefore prioritize other avenues of responding to the plight of victims through the positions I currently hold,” she said.
The LSK President reaffirmed her commitment to continue representing victims of police brutality through legal channels and advocacy efforts. She disclosed that the Society is pursuing ongoing court cases linked to the 2023 anti–cost of living protests and intends to push for legal reforms on demonstrations and police accountability.
Odhiambo further said the Law Society will engage the Judiciary and Parliament to address long-standing gaps in Kenya’s victim reparations framework.
Her proposals include the memorialization of victims, tracking of unreported cases, issuance of court practice directions to fast-track related cases, and legislative reviews to protect demonstrators from police excesses.
“We must treat reparations for victims with the same seriousness with which we treat repercussions for perpetrators,” she emphasized.
Odhiambo concluded her statement by reaffirming the LSK’s pledge to pursue justice and reform, saying, “May justice remain our shield and defender.”
