Demonstrators in Kenya have set vehicles ablaze as they clashed with the police over the death of a blogger.
The police fired teargas to disperse crowds who have been angered by the recent death of political blogger Albert Ojwang while in custody.
The unrest follows widespread outrage over Ojwang’s treatment and the official handling of his case, which has brought renewed scrutiny to Kenya’s security forces, long accused of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.
Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old blogger known for his commentary on political and social issues, was arrested in Homa Bay, western Kenya, last week.
Police alleged he had defamed Deputy Police Chief Eliud Lagat online and initially claimed Ojwang died after “hitting his head against a cell wall” at the Central Police Station in Nairobi. However, this account was quickly challenged by Amnesty International, local activists, and medical experts.
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A postmortem conducted by pathologist Bernard Midia revealed that Ojwang suffered a head injury, neck compression, and soft tissue damage, indicating he died as a result of assault rather than self-harm.
This finding contradicted the police’s initial statements and fueled public anger, prompting hundreds to take to the streets. Protesters demanded accountability, with many calling for Deputy Police Chief Lagat’s resignation and chanting slogans such as “Lagat must go” while waving Kenyan flags.
The situation intensified after President William Ruto publicly acknowledged that Ojwang had died “at the hands of the police,” reversing earlier official narratives. Ruto condemned the circumstances of the death as “heartbreaking and unacceptable,” and called for a thorough investigation.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has since launched an inquiry, and both the European Union and the United States have urged for a transparent probe into the incident.
Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja apologized for the police’s earlier implication that Ojwang’s death was a suicide, stating before the Senate that “based on the report by IPOA, it is not true. He did not hit his head against the wall”.
The protests come at a sensitive time for Kenya, nearly a year after deadly clashes between police and activists during demonstrations against a controversial finance bill. The death of Ojwang has reignited fears of a broader crackdown on dissent, particularly among Kenya’s youth, who have been at the forefront of recent protest movements.
Source: Africafeeds.com
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
