By Staff Writer | Wajir Today | Friday, October 3 2025
Wajir West Member of Parliament Yussuf Mohamed Farah has criticised a government plan to compensate victims of police brutality only up to 2017, saying it unfairly excludes survivors of earlier atrocities, including the 1984 Wagalla massacre.
In a letter dated September 29, 2025, and addressed to President William Ruto, with a copy sent to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the MP accused the government of perpetuating historical injustice against victims of some of Kenya’s worst human rights violations.
“The selective approach to justice offends the principles of equality, fairness, non-discrimination and inclusivity as enshrined in the Constitution,” the letter reads.
“By limiting compensation to only those affected up to 2017, the government is deliberately excluding victims of earlier and more egregious violations, most notably the Wagalla massacre.”
The Wagalla massacre remains one of the most painful chapters in Kenya’s post-independence history. On February 10, 1984, the Kenya Army rounded up thousands of Somali Degodia men at Wagalla Airstrip in Wajir, ostensibly to quell a rebellion.
Survivors recount days of torture, detention without food or water, exposure to the scorching sun, and executions. Although eyewitnesses claim thousands were killed, the official death toll has never been established.
Successive governments have acknowledged the atrocity but failed to deliver justice. In 1992, President Daniel arap Moi promised compensation. In 2015, President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a public apology. The Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) later confirmed the abuses and recommended reparations, none of which have been implemented.
MP Farah warned that overlooking historical injustices would deepen inequality and erode public confidence in the government’s commitment to justice. He cautioned that victims may seek legal redress if excluded from the reparations process.
“If the government proceeds with a framework that excludes Wagalla victims and others, we shall have no recourse but to move to court to challenge it on grounds of discrimination, inequality and breach of constitutional rights,” he stated.
The MP urged the Office of the President to expand the compensation framework to cover all victims of state brutality regardless of date, expressly include Wagalla survivors, and commit to a transparent and inclusive process.
He clarified that his protest was not meant to deny justice to more recent victims, but to ensure fairness across the board.
“This protest is not in opposition to justice for any victim. It is in pursuit of equal justice for all,” he said.
Farah cited constitutional provisions including Article 10 on inclusivity and protection of the marginalised, Article 27 on equality and freedom from discrimination, and Article 28 on respect for human dignity.
His protest is expected to reignite debate over Kenya’s record of state violence in Northern Kenya, where communities continue to demand accountability.
