IPOA identifies 10 River Yala bodies, hands over report to compensation panel

The identification of 10 people whose bodies were retrieved from River Yala through DNA sampling has opened a new window for families seeking answers as state moves to establish the identities of victims and pursue compensation.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) said DNA samples from 82 family members were analysed against the remains of approximately 25 bodies recovered from the river, resulting in positive matches for 10 victims.

The findings were handed over to the Panel on Compensation of Victims of Police Protests, chaired by Professor Makau Mutua, for further scrutiny and investigations.

IPOA Chairperson Duncan Ojwang Oburu said the authority had identified family members linked to 10 of the deceased.

However, the identities of the other approximately 15 bodies remain unresolved, with IPOA appealing to families and anyone with information about the victims to come forward to support further identification.

The report was handed over to the Mutua-led Panel following their letter to IPOA to give them a report on Yala River killings and take up the matter as part of its mandate to address human rights violations linked to police operations.

“We want to bring these things to light and respond to the victims of River Yala and to their families so that we can offer whatever response my panel is empowered to offer,” Mutua said.

Prof Mutua said the panel would subject IPOA’s findings to further scrutiny as it seeks to establish the identities of the victims, circumstances surrounding their deaths and the responsibility of those involved.

The findings, which could help families establish the fate of their missing relatives and pursue compensation.

Mutua said President William Ruto had specifically directed the panel to investigate the horrific discoveries of bodies in River Yala, which had raised serious questions about the State’s responsibility to protect citizens.

“I want to say that it's early days and we shall subject that IPOA information to further scrutiny. We are working with IPOA to establish who the victims were, the circumstances of their tragedies, and then to process them through our mechanisms for compensation that we have established,” Mutua said.

He appealed to relatives, family members, public servants and anyone with information about the victims to share it with the panel to help establish the facts.

“We cannot give any details at this point of either the victims or the circumstances of their tragedies, but we shall quickly delve into the matter and, in a few weeks, we'll be able to come back to you with adequate reports,” Mutua appealed.

“We ask for patience on the part of the public because very little is known about what happened. But what we do know is that any responsible democracy should not have hidden dark corners of their history. That's the enemy of democracy and of stability,’ he added.

The Yala River discoveries had become a symbol of growing public mistrust in State institutions, particularly the police, amid allegations of extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances.

Mutua said a responsible government must not only investigate human rights violations but also ensure accountability, provide remedies to victims and put measures in place to prevent similar abuses.

“No country or state is innocent of human rights violations. Not even the most advanced democracies. But what distinguishes responsible states from irresponsible ones is what the state does when those violations take place,” Makau said.

IPOA said its investigation into the Yala River deaths had been completed to the point of compiling a file, which was subsequently forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for consideration.

“I submitted the file on River Yala to the ODPP as a matter of our procedure. The ODP reviewed the file and recommended it be handed over the police for further investigation,” said Ojwang.

On the issue of the remaining 15 bodies from Yala River, IPOA chairperson said their DNA samples were collected and successfully preserved for future needs before the bodies were interred.

“All the bodies have been buried, but because of the future investigation, finding of next of kin, even for those which were not identified, were buried, and the DNA preserved using technology,” said Ojwang.

Meanwhile, Mutua said the panel has so far processed 1,392 claims of victims of police brutality.  Of those, he said they have compensated 236 fatalities, over 700 injuries ranging from severe, to moderate, to minor.

The panel has also compensated more than 140 claims relating to economic loss, and 16 victims. of sexual violence.

“Keeping with data protection laws, we shall publish information, redacted to protect certain identities and information about those victims, so the public can see a full list of those who have received compensation,” Mutua said adding that they have to be sensitive with the data protection laws and the safety of the victims.

The victims compensated, he said, are drawn from events of political violence s from 2013 post-election violence, political demonstrations between 2013 and 2022, including 2018. The 2023 protests on cost of living popularly known as ‘sufuria maandamano’ the June 2024 Gen Z protests and 2025 Gen Z protests anniversary.