NAIROBI, Kenya — The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has denied allegations circulating on social media that it shared the late Albert Ojwang’s location data with law enforcement agencies prior to his arrest and subsequent death.
In a statement released Wednesday, the regulator dismissed the claims as “factually erroneous,” saying it had no involvement in the events that led to the death of the 31-year-old teacher and blogger, who died in police custody last week under suspicious circumstances.
“We categorically distance CA from any involvement whatsoever in this matter,” the Authority stated. “CA is a regulator and does NOT have access to real-time location data of mobile subscribers.”
Press Statement on Misleading Claims on Social Media Platforms on the Late Albert Ojwang. @ntvkenya @NationBreaking @StandardKenya @CapitalFMKenya @citizentvkenya @KTNNewsKE @Kenyans @Tuko_co_ke @TheStarBreaking @PeopleDailyKe @KBCChannel1 @MoICTKenya @Mugonyid @Eastleighvoice
The CA clarified that it does not initiate, direct, or participate in operational decisions concerning data use by its licensees, such as mobile service providers.
Any requests for subscriber information, the Authority said, must follow due process, including judicial oversight and lawful justification.
The agency’s statement comes amid growing pressure on law enforcement and regulatory bodies to explain the circumstances under which Ojwang was tracked, arrested, and allegedly tortured before his death at Nairobi’s Central Police Station on June 7.
Public anger has escalated in recent days following multiple allegations that data from telecom services may have been used to locate Ojwang.
Safaricom has also denied any involvement, stating that it was not contacted by security agencies regarding the matter.
The Communications Authority, which oversees Kenya’s ICT and telecommunications sectors, said its role is limited to oversight and compliance—not operational surveillance.
The agency reiterated that it operates under the Kenya Information and Communications Act, and only facilitates data access by law enforcement when there is a valid court order.
“While CA is deeply saddened by the death of Mr. Ojwang and the circumstances surrounding it, we fully support calls for a transparent and impartial investigation,” the statement concluded.
Ojwang’s death has sparked national outrage, with civil society groups, lawmakers, and international actors demanding accountability.
A postmortem conducted earlier this week revealed he died from neck compression and had sustained multiple injuries, raising further questions about police conduct.
