By Jeff Mwaura
NAIROBI, Kenya — Hundreds of demonstrators clashed with police in central Nairobi on Monday after the death of a well-known blogger, Albert Ojwang, who died under mysterious circumstances while in police custody.
Mr. Ojwang, who was arrested last week for allegedly publishing defamatory content about a senior police official, was pronounced dead on Saturday.
Authorities claim he sustained fatal injuries after allegedly hitting his head against a cell wall. But civil rights groups and the public have voiced growing skepticism, calling the explanation implausible and demanding an independent investigation.
As protesters gathered near Nairobi’s Central Police Station on Monday morning, chanting “Justice for Albert,” riot police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. Several demonstrators were briefly detained, though no serious injuries were reported.
“We’ve seen this pattern before — a young voice critical of power ends up dead under suspicious circumstances,” said Mwikali Otieno, a spokesperson for the Kenya Human Rights Commission.
“The state cannot police itself. We demand an independent inquest.”
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), Kenya’s civilian watchdog agency, confirmed it had launched a formal investigation.
In a brief statement, IPOA said it had visited the police cell where Mr. Ojwang was held and interviewed officers present during the incident. The statement added that several officers had been suspended pending the outcome of the probe.
A postmortem examination has been ordered, with preliminary findings expected by the end of the week.
Mr. Ojwang, 31, had built a large following on social media for his outspoken commentary on police abuses, corruption, and government overreach. His recent posts had focused on alleged misconduct by a high-ranking Nairobi-based officer, whom he accused of extortion and arbitrary arrests.
His death has drawn comparisons to past cases of custodial deaths, including the 2022 death of a university student in western Kenya, which remains unresolved.
The Interior Ministry has not commented publicly on the case, and repeated attempts to reach the Nairobi Police Commander were unsuccessful.
“We are watching closely,” said a senior diplomat from a Western embassy in Nairobi who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“Freedom of expression and the safety of journalists are non-negotiable.”
As dusk fell over the capital Monday, the streets were calm but tense. Activists vowed to return to the streets later in the week if justice is not swiftly served.
