Why Albert Ojwang’s dying has put Kenya’s police on trial

“My son died like an animal,” mentioned Meshack Ojwang, earlier than breaking down in tears in entrance of journalists exterior Central Police Station in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.

His solely son Albert Ojwang had been arrested of their village of Kakoth, close to the western city of Homa Bay, the day earlier than – on Saturday 7 June 2025 – as he was having lunch along with his spouse Nevnina Onyango.

One of many 5 arresting officers informed the household he was accused of insulting a police boss on social media.

“We requested the police if he was going to be secure, as a result of we had heard tales of some individuals being kidnapped,” Ms Onyango informed the BBC. “They assured us, on the level of even them giving us their numbers.”

When Mr Ojwang was booked into Central Police Station at round 21:30 on the Saturday night time he was allowed to telephone his spouse.

“After we talked, he was like: ‘As a lot as I am careworn, don’t be concerned that a lot. I will see you quickly.’ I believe these had been his final phrases,” she mentioned.

However his father was involved and determined to observe his son, making the 350km (220 miles) journey to Nairobi – carrying the household’s land title deed as safety in case it was wanted to pay bail.

He says he arrived early on the Sunday morning on the station, and after being stored ready for a number of hours, was ultimately informed that his son had died from self-inflicted wounds.

In disbelief and standing subsequent to his lawyer, he described seeing his son’s physique: “He was bleeding from the nostril and had a bruised torso and face. He was additionally shirtless, however this isn’t how I handed him over to the police on Saturday.”

His candid interview in heartfelt Swahili and his refusal to remain silent touched Kenyans and the hashtag #JusticeForAlbertOjwang instantly started trending, with requires an investigation.

Kenya has a historical past of police brutality, however the subsequent revelations have surprised the nation – not solely the main points in regards to the dying in police custody of the skilled instructor turned blogger, however the ensuing allegations of police lies and subterfuge.

Parliament even known as within the chief of police, the pinnacle of the Directorate of Felony Investigations (DCI), the interior affairs minister and the Impartial Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) for questioning.

It’s laborious to think about why the 31-year-old Bachelor of Schooling graduate might have died such brutal circumstances.

It’s clear that his father, who used to work in a quarry in south-eastern Kenya, was proud that his son from such humble beginnings had accomplished so effectively academically.

“He might by no means damage anybody both on-line or bodily,” David Bwakali, a former educating colleague at Kituma Secondary College, informed Kenya’s Each day Nation’s newspaper.

Albert Ojwang, a passionate Manchester United soccer fan, had taught spiritual research, historical past and rugby on the faculty within the city of Mwatate in south-eastern Kenya.

He was solely there for a few phrases final 12 months as he had not been employed on a authorities contract however privately by means of the college’s administration board.

That is frequent for brand spanking new academics – he had not lengthy graduated from Pwani College – and such preparations have a tendency to not be effectively paid.

Mr Bwakali mentioned his buddy had not too long ago been in contact to debate how he hoped to get a posting as a authorities instructor.

And it was an thrilling time for Mr Ojwang, who lived within the coastal city of Malindi, as he and his 26-year-old spouse had gone again to his rural Homa Bay residence for an extended go to so she may very well be correctly launched to his household.

They’d arrived in April and had been, in response to Luo customs, formalising their marriage.

A part of these traditions concerned refurbishing his “simba” – or bachelor’s pad inside his father’s homestead – into a house appropriate for the couple and their three-year-old son George.

He was serving to his mother and father out by doing a little farm work on the household’s two-acre plot of land – and he and his spouse had been planning for his or her future with Ms Onyango’s imminent commencement as a well being employee.

Mr Ojwang was additionally attempting to generate income as a digital content material creator – and was a part of a motion of younger individuals on social media posting about political and social points.

That is what led to his dying.

It’s not clear what number of followers he had on X as his account was deleted after his arrest, however fellow influencers mentioned he had a powerful on-line presence and sometimes participated in social media campaigns.

He used a pseudonym – one thing that isn’t uncommon with Kenyans on-line given current crackdowns on youth dissent.

Activists have linked his dying to a broader development of police impunity, citing the unresolved deaths of greater than 60 younger individuals throughout final 12 months’s anti-tax protests.

“Ojwang’s dying will not be an remoted incident however a chilling reminder of the institutionalised impunity and rogue behaviour throughout the Nationwide Police Service (NPS),” Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) director and famend human rights defender, Khelef Khalifa, informed native media.

However what’s uncommon about Albert Ojwang’s case is the how swiftly and detailed the investigation has been. As well as, two days of the televised parliamentary hearings have meant that Kenyans have heard for themselves the disturbing particulars that led to his dying.

When showing earlier than the parliament final Wednesday, police chief Douglas Kanja was compelled to retract an earlier police assertion that mentioned that Mr Ojwang was discovered unconscious in his cell and rushed to hospital, the place he died of head accidents sustained after he banged his personal head towards a wall.

The autopsy examination and an unusually speedy investigation by the IPOA dominated out the likelihood that the blogger had killed himself.

The police chief apologised and blamed the error on “misinformation” from his juniors.

He went on to say that the arrest of Mr Ojwang had stemmed from defamatory on-line posts concentrating on his deputy, Eliud Lagat – who has since stepped apart. Mr Lagat mentioned he was doing so within the “good and aware thought” of his obligations as deputy police chief and that he would offer any help he might to the investigation into the blogger’s dying.

In response to Mr Kanja’s assertion to parliament, the posts on X had alleged Mr Lagat was working corrupt operations within the police by putting trusted officers in particular departments and visitors shifts to “management each income streams and intelligence movement”.

Mr Kanja’s assertion detailed numerous posts together with one which claimed Mr Lagat was beneath investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Fee (EACC) alongside along with his photograph and the phrase “Mafia Cop”.

In response to the police chief’s parliamentary assertion, Mr Lagat had submitted a grievance to the DCI on 4 June in regards to the posts. The following day when the EACC confirmed there was no investigation into Mr Lagat, the police proceeded with what was thought to be a “critical case” beneath the Laptop Misuse and Cybercrimes Act.

Mr Kanja mentioned the Communications Authority was contacted about two accounts linked to the posts. It led to the arrest of a person on 5 June who revealed that he and 4 others had been concerned within the marketing campaign – one being Albert Ojwang.

Two days later, the police had tracked Mr Ojwang all the way down to his residence village in western Kenya.

In her testimony, IPOA Vice Chair Anne Wanjiku gave some surprising particulars about the previous couple of hours of Mr Ojwang’s life.

She mentioned two witnesses, who had been in a neighbouring cell, informed the IPOA that that they had heard loud screams on the night time he died.

IPOA investigators declare {that a} technician was paid $30 (£22) to disconnect the CCTV within the station.

After the parliamentary hearings ended, two cops had been arrested in reference to Mr Ojwang’s dying.

The IPOA, which is bringing the case, mentioned junior officer PC James Mukhwana had informed investigators the intention had been to “self-discipline” Mr Ojwang, not kill him.

He mentioned the officer accountable for the station, Samson Talam, had been contacted by Mr Lagat with the order and had given the constable $15 to pay two inmates to beat up Mr Ojwang.

Mr Talam, by means of his attorneys, has denied the allegation and Mr Lagat has not commented.

Underneath Kenyan regulation, people in police custody are entitled to particular protections, together with the proper to authorized illustration and communication with advocates or help individuals.

Mr Ojwang’s household are nonetheless having issue absorbing their loss.

“I had not believed it till I noticed his physique within the morgue,” mentioned Ms Onyango, telling the BBC it bore indicators of torture. It was like “issues that we simply see in motion pictures… I’ve by no means seen such a physique. It was so coronary heart breaking,” she mentioned.

President William Ruto, who pledged to finish Kenya’s historical past of police brutality and extrajudicial deaths when he got here into energy in 2022, has spoken out about his shock, saying: “This tragic prevalence, by the hands of police, is heart-breaking and unacceptable.”

He urged the police to co-operate absolutely to facilitate a “swift, clear and credible investigation”.

“I absolutely anticipate that the reality about what occurred to Ojwang might be established sooner or later and that justice might be served,” he added.

Nonetheless practically 160 circumstances of suspected extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances had been reported throughout Kenya final 12 months, in response to the Kenya Human Rights Fee (KHRC).

IPOA chairperson Ahmed Issack Hassan informed MPs when he was questioned on Thursday that a minimum of 20 individuals had died whereas held by police up to now 4 months alone.

“It’s as if our structure solely is there like a newspaper to be learn, and tomorrow we neglect about it,” Mr Ojwang’s father informed the BBC.

Grief has overwhelmed Mr Ojwang’s widow: “I do not know what is going to occur subsequent, as a result of that one individual that was my finest buddy… he isn’t there. So, I really feel like my world is so small and it is darkish.”

However like her father-in-law, Ms Onyango believes the case, which has sparked protests, may very well be a turning level.

“I believe Albert’s dying needs to be an eye-opening to us, as a result of it has proven us a number of the issues which are taking place within the cells that possibly we do not know.

“I actually need to speak to my fellow Kenyans to face on our ft and attempt to discuss this matter, so that everyone might be accountable.”