Hundreds Protest in Nairobi Over Police Custody Death of Blogger Albert Ojwang » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya, June 12 – Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Nairobi’s Central Business District on Thursday, demanding justice for Albert Ochieng Ojwang, a 32-year-old teacher and blogger who was murdered in police custody after his arrest over a defamation complaint filed by Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat.
Clad in black T-shirts and waving placards with slogans like “Justice for Albert”, “Stop Police Brutality”, and “Stop Killing Us”, the demonstrators engaged police in running battles throughout the day.
Teargas canisters and rubber bullets filled the air at key flashpoints including Kimathi Street, Archives, and Ronald Ngala Street.
At least two vehicles were set ablaze during the chaos, and several protesters were injured, according to eyewitnesses, though police had not confirmed casualty figures by evening.
Incidents of vandalism and looting were reported in parts of the CBD as the protests disrupted businesses and public transport. Ride-hailing fares surged, and many commuters were left stranded or forced to walk long distances out of the city.
The demonstrations coincided with the reading of the national budget in Parliament, prompting heightened security around key installations. Police sealed off all roads leading to Parliament Buildings and swiftly repelled attempts by demonstrators to access the area.
Despite the clashes, many observers noted a relatively restrained police response compared to previous protests.
The protesters’ chief demand was the immediate removal of DIG Lagat, accusing him of using state power to silence critics and linking him directly to Ojwang’s arrest and death.
Ojwang was arrested in Kasipul, Homa Bay County, and transported over 350 kilometres to Nairobi, where he was booked at Central Police Station. The next day, he was found dead in his cell.
A post-mortem conducted by government pathologists revealed he died from head injuries, neck compression, and multiple soft tissue injuries, consistent with torture. Suicide was ruled out.
Outrage has mounted over the incident, with the hashtags #JusticeForAlbertOjwang and #EnoughIsEnough trending nationally on social media as users shared protest videos and messages condemning police brutality.
Calls for an independent probe are intensifying. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has confirmed interference with CCTV footage at Central Police Station and has widened its investigation to include all officers who handled Ojwang from the time of his arrest.
IPOA Chairperson Issack Hassan said that all officers, from those who arrested him in Homa Bay to those who took his body to the mortuary, are being treated as murder suspects.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is also probing the case. On Wednesday, DCI Director Mohamed Amin named Central Police Station OCS Benjamin Talam as the prime suspect, stating that Ojwang had been delivered “safe and unharmed” from Homa Bay, shifting the focus to officers who handled him after his arrival in Nairobi.
As public pressure builds, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki urged calm and adherence to due process.
“We must resist the temptation to politicise this matter. Justice must be pursued through the proper legal channels,” he said, while warning that lawlessness would not be tolerated.
Rights groups and civil society organisations continue to call for justice and accountability, with many vowing not to relent until those responsible are prosecuted.