The body of 31-year-old teacher and blogger Albert Omondi Ojwang arrived in his native Homa Bay County on Thursday, July 3, 2025, marking a deeply emotional moment in a saga that has shaken the country and renewed scrutiny of police conduct in Kenya.
Ojwang’s death in police custody—described by many as an extrajudicial killing—has sparked a wave of outrage, protests, and demands for accountability across the nation.
Arrested on June 7 in Kakoth village, Homa Bay County, over alleged online defamation of Deputy Inspector‑General Eliud Lagat, Albert was transported over 350 kilometers to Nairobi’s Central Police Station. Less than 24 hours later, on the morning of June 8, he was found unconscious in a cell and pronounced dead at Mbagathi Hospital shortly thereafter.
A post-mortem examination later revealed he had suffered head trauma, neck compression, and multiple bruises—findings that stood in stark contradiction to police claims that he had harmed himself while in custody.
On Thursday, Ojwang’s casket was flown from Nairobi and received in Homa Bay by mourning relatives, friends, and a gathering of local leaders. The solemn return of his remains ahead of his scheduled burial in Kokwanyo Village on Friday, July 4, has amplified calls for justice and accountability.
Speaking during the homecoming, his father Meshack Ojwang’ Opiyo delivered a heart-wrenching appeal for justice.
I am deeply saddened by the loss of my only son,” he said. “The shedding of his innocent blood will not go unanswered.” He compared the killing to the biblical murder of Abel, calling it “a crime born of jealousy and injustice.”
Emotions ran high throughout the handover ceremony, with local teachers, students, and civil society groups holding silent vigils and demanding that those responsible be brought to book. Members of the Kenya Union of Post‑Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) also attended, expressing solidarity and condemning the increasing pattern of police violence against civilians.
Ojwang’s final journey began a day earlier with a requiem mass held at Ridgeways Baptist Church in Nairobi. The mass drew a large turnout of mourners, including human rights defenders and prominent voices in the ongoing campaign for justice.
Following his death, six police officers—including the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) at the Central Police Station—were interdicted. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death, while public pressure continues to mount for swift prosecution of those involved.
Ojwang’s passing ignited national protests beginning June 9, 2025, with demonstrators decrying systemic police brutality, impunity, and targeted violence against outspoken Kenyans, especially those using digital platforms to critique power.
His name has since become a rallying cry in the movement for justice and police reform, with online hashtags such as #JusticeForAlbert and #StopPoliceKillings trending for days following his death.
As the country prepares to lay him to rest, the grief in Homa Bay mirrors a national reckoning—one that demands not only justice for Albert Ojwang but urgent reform of the very institutions entrusted with protecting citizens.
