President William Ruto has issued a personal apology to the family of Rex Masai, who was fatally shot during anti-government protests in Nairobi in June 2024.
The apology was delivered on Thursday, October 29, by Professor Makau Mutua, chairperson of the panel of experts on compensation of victims of human rights violations including from demonstrations and public protests. Makau and his team visited Rex Masai’s mother in Kayole, Nairobi.
In a statement shared on X after the visit, the panel said it had conveyed both Ruto’s personal apology and that of the State to the family over their loss.
“Prof. Makau Mutua, chair of the panel, and the panel members paid a visit to Mama Rex Masai in Kayole today, delivering the president’s personal apology as well as the state’s to the family for their loss,” the panel said.
Representatives from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) also attended the meeting.
The panel said the visit reaffirmed the importance of justice, healing, national reconciliation and the ongoing compensation process for victims of protests and riots.
However, the statement did not indicate whether the family had received compensation under the programme or whether the apology was accompanied by any specific commitments on accountability for Masai’s death.
