Soludo Calls For Unity In Building Nigeria

 Albert Ojwang, Kenya blogger who died in police custody

The death of a little-known blogger from the village of Kakoth, near the western town of Homa Bay in Kenya has turned into a national flashpoint in Kenya, igniting protests, parliamentary scrutiny, and renewed debate about the impunity of state security forces.

Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old former teacher and digital activist, died in police custody on June 7th, just two days after being arrested for allegedly posting defamatory comments online about Kenya’s deputy police chief, Eliud Lagat. Police initially claimed he died from self-inflicted injuries after banging his head on a cell wall. But a post-mortem, conducted by a government pathologist, told a different story: blunt force trauma, unlikely to be self-inflicted.

Protests and Police Brutality in Kenya Intensify

The reaction was swift and angry. Demonstrations erupted across Nairobi, with protesters calling for justice and demanding an end to Kenya police brutality. The capital’s streets turned volatile when police fired tear gas and masked officers engaged demonstrators. In one especially disturbing incident, a bystander, believed to be a street vendor, was shot in the head at close range by an officer whose face was concealed. Footage widely shared on social media showed groups of men on motorbikes, some armed with whips and crude weapons, attacking demonstrators as police looked on. “No protest!” they shouted, as tear gas choked the air.

Human Rights Watchdogs Respond to Blogger Killing

Rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the police response and the alleged use of hired thugs to suppress civic unrest. “The use of militia will escalate confrontation, lawlessness and chaos,” Amnesty’s Kenya office posted online. Such scenes have only intensified public outrage.

Who Was Albert Ojwang? A Digital Activist’s Life and Legacy

Ojwang was no household name. A university graduate from Pwani University, he had taught religious studies, history, and rugby at a secondary school in Mwatate. He lived in the coastal town of Malindi with his wife and their young son, balancing teaching with freelance digital content creation. His online presence, under a pseudonym, focused on civic and political issues, especially corruption within Kenya’s security services. According to his friends, he was driven, hopeful, and careful, aware of the risks that come with speaking truth in Kenya.

Marriage, Family and Arrest in Homa Bay

In late May, Ojwang and his wife travelled to his ancestral home in Homa Bay to formalise their marriage under Luo traditions. He helped his family on their farm, made plans to convert his bachelor’s hut (simba) into a family home, and looked forward to his wife’s upcoming graduation as a health worker. Their three-year-old son played nearby. Then the police came.

The Eliud Lagat Controversy and Digital Dissent

According to testimony presented to parliament, Mr Lagat filed a complaint with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations on June 4th regarding online posts that accused him of abusing his power. One of the posts reportedly showed Mr Lagat’s photo beside the words “Mafia Cop,” alleging that he was orchestrating corrupt internal appointments. On June 5th, Ojwang was arrested in Homa Bay. Two days later, he was dead.

IPOA Investigation and Custodial Death Allegations

Initially, police claimed that Ojwang had injured himself by repeatedly banging his head against the wall of his cell. But this story unraveled quickly. A government-commissioned autopsy revealed injuries inconsistent with the official version. The IPOA launched an investigation, which uncovered a trail of disturbing allegations. CCTV footage had been disabled on the night of Ojwang’s death. Two cellmates reported hearing screams. And a junior officer confessed to involvement in an attempted “disciplinary beating,” not intended to be fatal.

Parliamentary Hearings on the Death of a Kenyan Blogger

Parliamentary hearings brought further revelations. PC James Mukhwana told investigators that his station commander, Samson Talam, had been contacted by Lagat and instructed to punish Ojwang. Talam allegedly gave the constable $15 to pay two inmates to carry out the beating. A civilian technician was allegedly paid $30 to disable the CCTV. Mr Talam has denied wrongdoing. Mr Lagat, for his part, has stepped down temporarily but has issued no public statement.

President Ruto’s Response and Legal Implications

President William Ruto called Ojwang’s death “heartbreaking and unacceptable,” and urged swift, transparent justice. “This tragic occurrence at the hands of the police must not be swept under the rug,” he said. Police chief Douglas Kanja appeared before parliament and retracted the original police statement, blaming “misinformation from junior officers.” He admitted the case had originated from Mr Lagat’s complaint about online defamation and stated that Ojwang had been arrested under Kenya’s Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act.

A Pattern of Repression Against Digital Activists in Kenya

In recent years, the Kenyan government has been accused of weaponising this law to muzzle online dissent. Several digital activists have faced arrest for criticising officials or exposing alleged corruption. Yet Ojwang’s case has proved exceptional not just for its brutality, but for the attention it has received. Hashtags such as #JusticeForAlbertOjwang have trended nationally. Citizens have taken to the streets. Parliament is involved. The IPOA’s probe is unusually swift. And the media have amplified the story with rare tenacity.

Kenya’s Record on Police Custody Deaths and Extrajudicial Killings

Nevertheless, the broader context is grim. At least 20 people have died in police custody in the past four months alone, according to IPOA. The Kenya Human Rights Commission says that 160 cases of suspected extrajudicial killings in Kenya or enforced disappearances were reported in 2023. In last year’s anti-tax demonstrations, more than 60 people were killed by security forces.

Systemic Impunity and Police Reform in Kenya

Despite repeated pledges by the Ruto administration to reform policing and end brutality, systemic change remains elusive. Critics argue that institutionalised impunity is deeply entrenched in the National Police Service, where chains of command blur lines of accountability. Investigations, when they happen, rarely lead to convictions.

A Widow’s Grief and a Nation’s Reckoning

Ojwang’s widow, Atieno Onyango, now 26, is left picking up the pieces. “I had not believed it until I saw his body in the morgue,” she told the BBC. “It was like something out of a movie… It was so heart-breaking.” Her grief is compounded by the knowledge that he died not in an accident, but under state custody. “He was my best friend… My world is so small and dark now.”

Still, she has joined others in calling for this case to become a turning point. “Albert’s death should open our eyes. It has shown us what happens behind closed doors in the cells.”

What Comes Next for Kenya?

It remains to be seen whether Kenya’s institutions will listen. But for now, a quiet teacher with a digital voice has become a national symbol, and the country must decide what it will do with the truth his death has forced into the light.