Faith Odhiambo faces mounting pressure over role in Ruto’s protest victims panel

A storm is brewing in the legal fraternity after Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo accepted an appointment as vice chairperson of a presidential panel tasked with compensating victims of recent protests.

Several advocates argue her position undermines the LSK’s independence and compromises its watchdog role. The panel, chaired by legal scholar Makau Mutua, was gazetted on August 25, but critics insist it is unconstitutional and should have been under the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).

Advocates Levi Munyeri, Paul Kiragu Wathuta and Francis Wanjiku have accused Odhiambo of abandoning the LSK’s mandate, with Munyeri demanding her immediate resignation. He warned that failure to step down would trigger a petition to eject her from office.

Odhiambo, however, has defended her decision, saying she chose “a bold but unpopular step” in the interest of victims. She pledged accountability, transparency, and regular updates on the panel’s work, insisting the deaths and injuries from the protests “must never be in vain.”