In a landmark move toward healing national wounds, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has released its Draft Reparation Guidelines, providing a structured roadmap for compensating victims of gross human rights violations.
This development follows a legal battle and a subsequent Presidential Proclamation on March 6, 2026, which mandated the Commission to finalize a comprehensive framework within 60 days. As of late April 2026, the Commission has moved into the phase of stakeholder verification and public review.
The draft guidelines by KNCHR has adopted a five-pillar approach rooted in international human rights standards:
- Restitution: Measures to restore victims to their original situation, such as the return of seized property or the restoration of employment.
- Compensation: Monetary awards for economically assessable damage, including physical harm, lost opportunities, and moral damages.
- Rehabilitation: Essential medical and psychological care, alongside legal and social services to help survivors reintegrate into society.
- Satisfaction: Symbolic gestures such as public apologies, the establishment of memorials, and official “truth-telling” processes to validate the victims’ experiences.
- Guarantees of Non-Repetition: Structural and institutional reforms—particularly within the security sector—designed to ensure that such violations never happen again.
The guidelines are specifically designed to address Gross Human Rights Violations. According to the latest Commission updates, the registry now includes over 1,500 verified victims and survivors. The primary categories of harm covered include:
- Protest-Related Violence: Addressing victims of police brutality during recent national demonstrations.
- Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances: Providing a path for families of the “vanished” to seek official recognition and support.
- Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV): Specialized protocols for survivors of conflict-related or state-perpetrated sexual harm.
- Historical Injustices: Including unlawful evictions and the loss of ancestral land or livelihoods.
While the formal deadline for the initial verification was April 3, 2026, the KNCHR has clarified that the reporting of human rights violations remains a continuous process. Victims seeking to be included in future phases are encouraged to gather supporting documents, such as:
- P3 Forms (Police medical reports)
- Post-mortem reports
- Medical records from recognized facilities
- Witness statements and OB (Occurrence Book) numbers
The KNCHR has established dedicated channels for victims and the public to engage with the reparations process:
- SMS: 22359
- WhatsApp: 0798849871
- Toll-Free Line: 0800 720 627
- Email: reparations@knchr.org