NAIROBI, Kenya- Lawyer Willis Otieno has criticised what he described as coordinated social media campaigns seeking to influence public opinion following the fatal shooting of youth mobiliser Cecil Ouma, urging Kenyans to allow investigations to take their course.
In a statement shared on Thursday, Otieno questioned the use of sponsored hashtags by supporters of individuals linked to the case, saying public relations campaigns should not replace the justice process.
“If you see an accused person sponsoring hashtags to shape public opinion instead of allowing the justice system to do its work, ask yourself why,” he said.
Otieno also warned against what he termed attempts to sanitise the incident through coordinated online campaigns, arguing that such efforts cannot substitute forensic investigations or address legitimate questions surrounding the shooting.
“Social media campaigns cannot erase forensic evidence or silence legitimate questions,” he said.
The lawyer further urged young people not to be drawn into political loyalty at the expense of accountability, saying ordinary citizens are often left to bear the consequences after political controversies subside.
He called on Kenyans to stand against impunity, socio-political injustice and poor governance while rejecting political sycophancy.
Otieno’s remarks come as police continue investigating the fatal shooting of Ouma, who died following an incident involving a convoy linked to Youth Affairs Principal Secretary Jacobs Fikirini after a government youth event in Nairobi.
Fikirini has since recorded a statement with investigators and said he will cooperate fully with detectives to ensure Ouma’s family gets justice. Police have also recorded statements from other witnesses as investigations continue.