Thousands of people gathered to honor the 31-year-old journalist, whose passing ignited violent protests following an autopsy report that refuted police assertions of self-inflicted wounds as the cause of death.
Ojwang's death at Nairobi’s Central Police Station has reignited longstanding public outrage over police brutality throughout the country.
Two police officers have been taken into custody in relation to the incident, and the Kenyan parliament conducted televised hearings as part of the ongoing investigation.
"We will not rest," declared Anna Ngumi, a friend of Ojwang's, addressing the mourners at the funeral. "We are determined to seek justice until it is served. In remembrance of our ongoing celebration of 7/7 (the protest day on July 7th), we vow to honor Albert Ojwang with our own '7/7' in his name."
Lack of accountability for police actions
In Nairobi last month, 22-year-old street vendor Boniface Kariuki was shot by police at close range amid protests over Ojwang’s death. Kenyan Member of Parliament Babu Owino, who also spoke at the funeral, urged for an end to police impunity.
While the police are entrusted with safeguarding life and property, it is concerning that they have been implicated in the deaths of Kenyans. We strongly condemn these actions and assert that any officer involved in the death of Albert Ojwang should be arrested, tried in court, and sentenced to life imprisonment.
When President William Ruto assumed office in 2022, he pledged to put an end to police brutality and extrajudicial killings. However, according to police oversight organizations, at least 20 individuals have died while in custody over the past four months alone. Additionally, there were reports of 160 incidents involving extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances last year.
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