NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s deputy police chief has stepped down temporarily amid growing public anger and official investigations into the death of a popular blogger while in police custody—an incident that has drawn comparisons to past abuses and revived calls for systemic reform.
Deputy Inspector General Eliud Langat announced on Monday that he would “voluntarily step aside” from his duties as authorities probe the June 8 death of Albert Ojwang, a blogger and social media commentator who had been detained just two days earlier for allegedly defaming Langat in an online post.
“I welcome and support the investigation,” Mr. Langat said in a statement, emphasizing his willingness to cooperate fully with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which is leading the inquiry.
The 33-year-old Ojwang was arrested by plainclothes officers on June 6 and taken to Nairobi’s Central Police Station. Authorities initially claimed he died after slipping and falling in a corridor.
But a post-mortem report released over the weekend found that the cause of death was “head injury, neck compression, and other blunt-force trauma”— injuries consistent with assault or strangulation, according to pathologists.
Three individuals, including two senior police officers and a civilian CCTV technician, were arrested late Sunday in connection with Ojwang’s death.
Police have not released the names of the suspects, but sources close to the probe say they were responsible for monitoring and maintaining surveillance footage at the station.
The case has triggered widespread protests, with hundreds taking to the streets of Nairobi and Kisumu in recent days demanding justice and greater accountability from the country’s security agencies.
Demonstrators clashed with anti-riot police over the weekend, and at least a dozen people were arrested in Nairobi’s CBD as shops closed early and tear gas filled the air.
President William Ruto has expressed support for the investigation, calling it “a necessary step in ensuring public trust.” In a brief statement Monday, he said, “No one is above the law—not even those tasked with enforcing it.”
Mr. Ojwang’s family has rejected the official narrative and called for an independent inquiry with international oversight.
“My brother was killed in cold blood,” said his sister, Mercy Ojwang, speaking to reporters outside their family home in Homa Bay.
“He was not a criminal. He was a voice for the voiceless.”
Ojwang had built a large following online for his sharp critiques of state corruption and police misconduct. In his final posts before his arrest, he accused senior police officers of abusing power and misusing public funds—allegations that many now say may have put a target on his back.
The incident has rekindled memories of past police brutality cases, including the 2020 death of human rights activist Yassin Moyo, and raised new questions about the pace of reform within Kenya’s law enforcement.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International Kenya, have demanded the swift prosecution of those involved.
“This cannot become just another footnote in the long history of police impunity,” said executive director Irungu Houghton. “The public deserves transparency, accountability, and justice.”
As the investigation continues, opposition lawmakers have called for Langat’s formal suspension and urged Parliament to convene an emergency session to debate broader reforms to the police force.
IPOA has said it will release its initial findings later this week.
