NAIROBI, Kenya – Opposition party ODM has criticized the government over the alleged excessive use of force by security officers, warning that continued violations could jeopardize its political cooperation with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
In a statement posted on its official X account on Friday, ODM demanded an immediate halt to what it termed “unjustified” state violence and abductions of young people.
The statement comes in the wake of the death of 31-year-old teacher Albert Ojwang while in police custody.
“Stop harming Kenyans. Stop targeting the youth. End the abductions… This is not in line with what was agreed on March 7. We must promote cohesion, not division,” read the statement.
Stop killing Kenyans, Stop killing the youth, Stop abductions… This is what we agreed on March 7… We must embrace cohesion and not divisions.
Ojwang was arrested on June 7 in Homa Bay and died hours later under unclear circumstances at the Nairobi Central Police Station.
A postmortem report cited neck compression, raising suspicions of torture.
The ODM party said such incidents go against the spirit of the March 7 cooperation agreement between ODM leader Raila Odinga and President William Ruto.
The agreement had outlined a shared commitment to addressing Kenya’s social, economic, and political challenges, with youth empowerment identified as a key priority.
“The postmortem conducted so far suggests the young man died from neck compression, and the injuries may have resulted from torture. We are demanding proper answers from the police,” said ODM Deputy Party Leader and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, speaking in the Senate on June 10.
Thursday’s anti-police protests in Nairobi, which called for the resignation of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, added pressure on the government to explain the circumstances surrounding Ojwang’s death.
Osotsi warned that if a credible investigation is not launched, ODM could withdraw from the cooperation deal altogether.
This marks the first time ODM has openly threatened to reconsider its engagement with UDA, signalling a potential political rift just three months after signing the high-profile Memorandum of Understanding.
