Victory for Ogiek Community in the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights

29 July 2022

On 23 June 2022, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights delivered its ruling on reparations in the case of African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) v. Republic of Kenya (App.006/2012).

The case related to Kenya’s eviction of the Ogiek, an indigenous minority ethnic group, from the Mau Forest, their ancestral home.

Having found violations of Kenya’s human rights obligations, the Court ordered, in this ruling, for compensation to be paid to the Ogiek community of KES 57.85m in material damages and KES 1m in moral damages, and for restitution of the Ogiek’s ancestral lands.

The Court acknowledged the amicus submission by the Human Rights Implementation Centre and Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria in determining the matter.

“We are delighted with the ruling of the Court and what this means for the Ogiek community,” said Professor Rachel Murray, Director of the Human Rights Implementation Centre.

The amicus submission recommended that different timeframes could be used by the Court to monitor the implementation of the reparations, and that a hearing on implementation should be held, approaches adopted by the Court.

Watch the Ogiek’s response at the African Court after the reading of the judgment.

Further information

"Ogiek win another landmark victory in African Court" - Minority Rights press release

"Application 006/2012 - The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights vs Republic of Kenya" - case details

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