Kenya Erupts In Protest After Blogger Dies In Police Custody: Autopsy Points To Assault

 

Public outrage has erupted across Kenya following the death of 31-year-old blogger and activist Albert Ojwang while in police custody — a case now at the center of a national reckoning over police accountability and political dissent.

Ojwang was arrested last Friday for “false publication” after allegedly accusing Deputy Police Inspector Eliud Lagat of corruption on social media. Two days later, police claimed he died from “head injuries” sustained by “hitting his head against the cell wall.” But that narrative unraveled quickly.

An independent autopsy conducted by a team of five pathologists, including government pathologist Dr. Bernard Midia, found clear evidence of assault: “serious head injuries,” “features of neck compression,” and “multiple soft tissue injuries” spread across his body. “The cause of death is very clear,” Midia said, stressing that the injuries were not consistent with self-infliction.

On Wednesday, Kenya’s Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, publicly retracted the initial police statement and apologized to the nation. “It is not true… he did not hit his head against the wall,” he told a parliamentary committee, attributing the original claim to flawed preliminary reports.

Ojwang, a teacher, father, and prominent online activist, had become a vocal critic of government corruption and police abuse. Amnesty Kenya noted that his final known communication was a plea for bail. Local outlets, including The Daily Nation, described him as a well-known influencer with a passionate digital following.

Protests broke out in Nairobi on Monday, intensifying after the autopsy results were released. Demonstrators called for justice and demanded the removal of Deputy Inspector Lagat. By Thursday, police were using teargas in attempts to disperse protesters.

Ojwang’s death has reignited deep public anger, especially among Kenya’s youth, who have been increasingly vocal since mass protests forced the withdrawal of a controversial finance bill last year. His case has become emblematic of broader concerns about the suppression of dissent and a lack of police accountability.

Six police officers are now under investigation, according to Kenya’s national broadcaster. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched a formal inquiry into the incident.

President William Ruto issued a statement on Wednesday expressing “utter shock and dismay” over Ojwang’s death. “This tragic occurrence, at the hands of the police, is heartbreaking and unacceptable,” Ruto said, calling for a “swift, transparent, and credible investigation.”

As protests continue and investigations unfold, Ojwang’s death has become a powerful symbol in Kenya’s fight for justice, transparency, and reform.