One killed in clashes as Kenyans protest death of blogger in police custody

Demonstrations against constabulary unit erupted aft 31-year-old Albert Ojwang died successful custody.

Hundreds of men connected motorbikes, equipped with whips and clubs, person attacked protesters successful downtown Nairobi portion they were demonstrating against alleged extrajudicial killings, pursuing the decease of a blogger successful constabulary custody.

One idiosyncratic was killed connected Tuesday arsenic the assailants violently attacked and dispersed the demonstrators. A Reuters writer saw the man’s assemblage connected the crushed with a bleeding caput wound. But it was not wide however helium had died oregon who the antheral was.

The swarm of men connected motorbikes could beryllium heard shouting “No protest” successful footage shared by section broadcaster NTV.

Amnesty International’s Kenya section condemned the attack, penning connected X that the “use of militia volition escalate confrontation, lawlessness and chaos”.

The incidental came much than a week aft the decease of Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old teacher and blogger. He died conscionable 2 days aft being arrested successful the municipality of Homa Bay successful occidental Kenya for allegedly criticising Eliud Lagat, the country’s lawman constabulary chief.

A Kenyan police officer has been arrested successful transportation with Ojwang’s death.

The protests caused by his decease bespeak a wider interest astir constabulary violence. Rights groups accidental much than 60 radical were killed by information forces past twelvemonth during demonstrations successful June and July against a arguable fiscal measure that would person accrued taxes.

‘They cornered america and bushed america with whips’

Speaking astir the clashes connected Tuesday, which besides saw constabulary occurrence teardrop state astatine protesters, Ndungi Githuku, of the civilian rights radical Kongamano La Mapinduzi, said Kenya was turning into “a lawless country”.

“We spot hundreds of paid goons, with whips and weapons, crude weapons, coming to brutalise our people,” helium said.

One of the demonstrators, Hanifa Adan, who was a starring dependable successful past year’s Gen Z-led protests, told AFP that the men connected motorbikes had “overwhelmed” her and others.

“They cornered america and bushed america with whips and the constabulary were conscionable watching them bash it,” she said.

Demonstrations were besides held connected Tuesday successful Kenya’s second-largest metropolis Mombasa, with the assemblage holding placards saying “Stop sidesplitting us”.

Protesters clasp a Kenyan emblem arsenic they instrumentality screen from teardrop state and rubber bullets arsenic clashes erupt betwixt demonstrators and constabulary connected June 12, 2025 [Luis Tato/AFP]

Public choler grew aft an autopsy revealed that Ojwang had not fatally injured himself by banging his caput against a compartment wall, arsenic the Kenyan constabulary had primitively claimed.

The government’s pathologist recovered that his injuries, which included blunt unit trauma, were “unlikely to beryllium self-inflicted”.

Kenyan President William Ruto admitted connected Friday that Ojwang had died “at the hands of the police”, calling his decease “heartbreaking and unacceptable”.

The country’s person promised to “protect citizens from rogue constabulary officers”.

In the past 4 months, much than 20 radical person died successful constabulary custody successful Kenya, according to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

As portion of the probe into Ojwang’s death, 2 elder constabulary officers and a civilian person truthful acold been arrested.

Lagat, the lawman constabulary chief, announced connected Monday that helium was temporarily stepping down from his role.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies