NAIROBI, Kenya – President William Ruto has condemned the circumstances surrounding the death of Albert Ojwang while in police custody, calling the incident “heartbreaking and unacceptable” and demanding a transparent and speedy investigation.
In a statement issued Wednesday from State House, Nairobi, the President expressed shock and deep dismay over Ojwang’s death, which has sparked national outcry and renewed scrutiny of police conduct.
“Like most Kenyans, and especially as a parent, I received the news of Albert Ojwang’s death with utter shock,” Ruto said. “This tragic occurrence, at the hands of the police, is heartbreaking and unacceptable.”
Ojwang, a young Kenyan arrested over a social media post implicating senior police officers in alleged corruption, died while detained at Nairobi’s Central Police Station.
A postmortem conducted by government pathologists revealed he suffered head trauma, neck compression and multiple soft tissue injuries, ruling out suicide.
Ruto extended his condolences to Ojwang’s family and called for full cooperation between the National Police Service and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which has since launched an investigation.
“The police must take every necessary measure to facilitate a swift, transparent, and credible investigation into the death of Ojwang,” he said.
Statement by President @WilliamsRuto on the death of Albert Ojwang:
He warned that any negligence or criminality that may have contributed to Ojwang’s death would not be tolerated and reminded officers of their duty to protect the rights and welfare of individuals in their custody.
“Whenever police officers take someone into custody, they assume a tremendous responsibility for that individual’s safety and well-being,” he said. “They must discharge this duty without fail.”
The President reaffirmed his belief in an independent and professional police service, noting that institutional autonomy must go hand in hand with internal accountability.
“The National Police Service must rise to the challenge of not only dealing with crime, but also eradicating misconduct and unprofessional behaviour within its own ranks,” he said.
As public pressure mounts, Ruto urged Kenyans to allow the investigation to proceed without interference, but pledged that justice would be done.
“I fully expect that the truth about what happened to Ojwang will be established in due course, and that justice will be served.”
