Faith Odhiambo at the Milimani law court in the past. Gabriel Somba
By Gabriel Somba
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo has resigned from her role as vice chairman of the Panel of Experts on compensation of victims of demonstrations and public protests and vowed to continue fighting for the rights of the demonstrators through other avenues.
The illegal panel had been appointed to overhaul the existing legal and institutional frameworks for reparations which Ms Odhiambo says have been proven inadequate in addressing public concerns over the historic crises of police overreach and protester victimization during demonstrations.
She says she will petition the Parliament to review legislation on demonstrations and enact provisions for protection of demonstrators and provide for reparations where police excesses arise.
Ms Odhiambo says she reigned as measure of LSK’s resilience resolve in upholding the rule of law throughout the Kenya’s history and the fact that as the LSK’s president, she has taken an oath to preserve such resilience from any and all adversaries and detractors, adding it is not possible to achieve anything for the victims of protesters – victimization by the state.
“Accordingly, I have today handed in my formal and immediate resignation from the position of the vice chairperson to the (panel) to the head of the public service,” state Ms Odhiambo in a statement.
“My resignation from the panel takes cognisance from the panel of the crucial point at which Kenya finds itself in the quest for full constitutional implementation and full reform to our democratic context. This consequential moment for our country calls for all our rule of law institutions, especially the LSK, to remain unified and resolute in discharging the mandate bestowed upon us by law.”
She said the taskforce’s proposed tenure of 120 days in office will lapse before the high court determines the constitutionality of the taskforce.
The LSK president noted that victims have been reaching out to her in total frustration to find out when they will be given an audience with the panel.
“Unfortunately, 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 other positions I hold, especially the leadership of LSK,” states Odhiambo.
“My resolve to agitate for the rights of victims of (state violence) remains impregnable; I will continue to take up and prosecute matters of victims of police excesses during demonstrations and work towards safeguarding holistic justice for victims.”
