NAIROBI, Kenya– Tensions flared in Nairobi on Wednesday after two vehicles were set ablaze near Aga Khan Walk amid escalating protests over the death of teacher and online activist Albert Omondi Ojwang while in police custody.
Video footage circulating on social media captured thick plumes of black smoke rising into the sky as flames consumed the cars, sending panic through the city center and drawing swift police responses.
The protests, now entering a more confrontational phase, saw hundreds of demonstrators flood the capital’s streets demanding the immediate resignation of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat accused of being directly linked to Ojwang’s controversial arrest and subsequent death.
Earlier in the day, police fired volleys of teargas to disperse crowds attempting to march from Wabera Street near City Hall toward the Supreme Court and Parliament Buildings.
Demonstrators, composed of human rights activists and outraged citizens, clashed with officers in chaotic scenes captured widely online.
Ojwang’s death: At least two cars set ablaze as tensions between police and protesters escalate in Nairobi CBD; demonstrators demand resignation of DIG Eliud Lagat.
Ojwang, 34, was a well-known social commentator and educator whose digital presence made him a vocal critic of government excesses. His arrest followed a complaint filed by Deputy IG Lagat.
Days later, he was pronounced dead in custody.
A postmortem conducted by government pathologist Dr. Bernard Midia revealed Ojwang died from trauma and neck compression injuries consistent with torture.
Public outrage has continued to swell, with civil society organizations, legal experts, and political leaders joining the chorus for accountability.
Many are now calling for Lagat’s interdiction, arguing his involvement presents a clear conflict of interest that could jeopardize the integrity of ongoing investigations.
President William Ruto has sought to calm growing tensions, having personally called Ojwang’s family to offer his condolences and assure them of justice.
“As we mourn his passing, let us patiently but vigilantly follow the progress of the investigations without making premature judgments or drawing conclusions that could compromise the process and its outcome,” the President said in a statement.
Despite the call for restraint, many protesters remain skeptical of the government’s commitment to impartial justice, pointing to a long history of stalled inquiries into police abuses.
Ojwang’s case has reignited widespread debate over systemic police brutality in Kenya, with rights groups warning that failure to prosecute those involved could deal another blow to public confidence in the country’s justice system.
