Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has called on President William Ruto’s administration to compensate the families of Kenyan youth who were injured or lost their lives during the 2024 anti-tax protests.
Speaking during the 62nd Madaraka Day celebrations at the Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay, the opposition leader emphasized the need for the government to go beyond verbal apologies and take actionable steps toward reconciliation.
“It is wonderful as a first step to reconciliation. But then there are people who were injured and others died. I want to say that we should do compensation to families of those who died and those injured so that we can have closure to this chapter of our national history,” Odinga stated.
He welcomed recent apologies offered by political leaders during the National Prayer Breakfast — led by President Ruto — but underscored that apologies alone are not sufficient. “We want Kenyans to live in peace and unity,” Odinga added.
He further stressed that Kenya’s progress since independence has been built on unity, and called on current leaders to uphold this principle for the sake of future generations.
President Ruto, during the National Prayer Breakfast, extended an olive branch to the youth, acknowledging the strained relationship with his administration in the wake of the protests.
“To our children, if there is any misstep, we apologise. We want to build a relationship that will make our country great,” Ruto stated.
Despite these efforts at reconciliation, numerous cases of assault and brutality reported during the 2024 demonstrations remain unresolved, prompting continued calls for justice and accountability.
