NAIROBI, Kenya — The death of Albert Ojwang’, a young blogger with a hopeful future, has shaken the nation—and not quietly. His passing, following a police arrest in Homa Bay County, has not only triggered grief but opened up a deep wound in Kenya’s ongoing struggle with police accountability.
Ojwang’ was picked up by police on Saturday, allegedly for making posts on social media targeting Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat.
By Sunday morning, he was dead. Official postmortem results confirmed what many feared: Ojwang’ was tortured and strangled while in custody.
The backlash was swift.
“There is only one position on the tragic death of Albert Ojwang’: it should never have happened,” said Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo in a statement that cut through Kenya’s political noise like a siren.
Omollo’s remarks—delivered via X, formerly Twitter—highlighted the emotional toll on Ojwang’s family.
His mother, Mama Eucabeth Ojwang’, and widow, Nevnine Onyango, were acknowledged by name. “Their pain is unimaginable, and their loss, immeasurable,” he said, drawing a human face on a case many fear might otherwise be lost in bureaucratic fog.
But this case is proving hard to ignore.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International Kenya, have long criticized Kenya’s police force for its pattern of abuse—from unlawful killings to unchecked brutality.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has also confirmed that complaints against law enforcement are rising steadily. The outcry over Ojwang’s death now risks turning into a national reckoning.
Omollo called the tragedy “a sobering call” for reforms that go beyond investigations and arrests.
“We must build a police service grounded in justice, dignity, and the sanctity of life,” he added—setting the tone for what could become a new chapter in Kenya’s troubled history with police impunity.
And while statements of intent are important, Kenyans are watching to see what comes next. Because this isn’t just about Albert Ojwang’. It’s about whether the country can protect the next Albert before it’s too late.
