Protests have erupted in Nairobi and Mombasa Central Business Districts (CBD) as youth march to demand justice for Albert Ojwang, who died in detention hours after being arrested by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
The protestors carried placards bearing Ojwang’s image and chanted slogans, with some demanding the arrest of the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the National Police Service (NPS) who filed the complaint against the deceased, leading to his arrest.
In a statement on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, Securex Agencies Limited advised Nairobians to exercise caution as police deploy teargas to disperse the crowds.
‘A crowd of protesters has gathered along Kimathi Street, distributing placards and T-shirts. Reports indicate that police have deployed tear gas to disperse the group. Some businesses around the Nation Centre have begun to close in response to the situation,” read the statement.
Similarly, anti-riot police officers used tear gas to disperse protesters at the National Archives and other key streets in Nairobi.
“Exercise heightened caution. We remain on high alert and continue to monitor the situation closely. Further updates will be shared should the situation change.”
Another group riding on motorbikes was also recorded making its way to Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) with some shouting ‘hakuna maandano‘( no protests).
In Mombasa, a handful of picketers held placards and marched peacefully as police watched on the side. With tension rising in the two cities, some business owners were forced to close their premises for fear of encountering losses.
Ojwang’s murder has reignited nationwide outrage over police brutality and renewed calls for deep-rooted reforms and accountability in the security sector.
Ojwang was arrested in Homa Bay County on June 6, 2025, over defamation of DIG Lagat. He was transported more than 350 kilometres to Nairobi’s Central Police Station, where he was found dead.
On Monday, June 16, 2025, pressure mounted on DIG Lagat, whose complaint led to the arrest, as civil society leaders, lawyers, and political figures dismissed his stepping aside as cosmetic and demanded his immediate arrest and prosecution.
Lagat eventually stepped aside, paving the way for impartial investigations into the matter.
Ojwang’s murder
Police initially claimed Ojwang died after hitting his head on a cell wall. However, a postmortem report contradicted that version, revealing blunt force trauma to the head, neck compression, and multiple soft tissue injuries, findings consistent with torture and physical assault.
So far, two senior police officers, including the Central Police Station OCS, a police constable, and a civilian CCTV technician, have been arrested and are under investigation.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) on June 12, 2025, declared all 17 officers involved in Ojwang’s arrest, transportation, and detention as murder suspects.
IPOA Chairperson Isaac Hassan confirmed the suspects are under active investigation, with additional arrests imminent.
“We have taken statements from all officers involved in the Homa Bay arrest and those on duty at Central Police Station, both day and night shifts,” Hassan told MPs during an appearance before the National Assembly’s Administration and Internal Security Committee. “We are working closely with the Inspector-General to effect arrests.”
Hassan warned that any obstruction of investigations by officers would be met with “ruthless action,” including prosecution for interference.
