Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has denied claims that he hired goons last week to infiltrate protests over the death of blogger Albert Ojwang. On Sunday, 22 June, Sakaja reiterated that his entire political career has been anchored on clean politics and that he has never resorted to violence for political gain. “I would like to say for the record — and let me be clear. I have never and will never sponsor violence of any kind. My entire political life has been anchored on siasa safi (clean politics), which upholds human dignity, the rule of law, and the democratic rights…
Author: Special Correspondent
Lawmakers have questioned the fairness of Kenya’s overseas jobs programme after a parliamentary report revealed that the majority of beneficiaries come from just three counties—Machakos, Makueni, and Kitui—despite the initiative being presented as a national effort. The report, presented to the National Assembly’s Committee on Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers, raised concerns of discrimination and lack of transparency in the selection process. Legislators termed the findings “opaque” and accused the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of favouring certain regions. The Director-General of the National Employment Authority (NEA), Edith Okoki, appeared before the committee—chaired by Kwale Woman Representative Lydia Haika—on…
The Kenya National Police Service motto is “Utumishi kwa Wote”, which means “Service to all”. This signifies that the police are expected to serve all Kenyans, including peaceful protestors during demonstrations. However, following recent demonstrations across the country, the police have come under criticism for how they have handled protestors—particularly in the course of detaining them. There have been reports of police officers visiting individuals in their homes and taking them into custody without any explanation. In most of these cases, the officers do not identify themselves. Furthermore, many of those arrested are taken to undisclosed locations rather than recognised…
The redeployment of staff from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the newly formed Social Health Authority (SHA) has stirred controversy, amid claims of contempt of court and complaints over slashed salaries. This follows the recent issuance of deployment letters by the Public Service Commission (PSC) to former NHIF employees, who have been operating under SHA since the NHIF Act was repealed in November 2023. At least 215 letters have so far been dispatched to staff at all levels—from top management to clerical workers and directors—with an additional 400 expected in the coming days. According to insiders, some employees…
Protests broke out in Nairobi, Kenya, early Tuesday, primarily in the Central Business District (CBD), sparked by public outrage over the death of Albert Ojwang — a 31-year-old teacher and blogger — who died while in police custody. The demonstrations, dubbed “Justice for Ojwang” and associated with hashtags such as #JusticeForAlbertOjwang, #TuesdayMAANDAMANO, and #ArrestEliudLagat, followed Ojwang’s death on 7 June 2025. He had been arrested for allegedly making derogatory remarks on social media about Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat. A post-mortem examination reportedly revealed that Ojwang died as a result of blunt force trauma, contradicting initial police claims…
Mysterious deaths in police custody continue to plague the country, as yet another man has died under unclear circumstances in a police cell. Calvince Omondi Onditi, a 36-year-old fisherman from Ndhuru Beach, reportedly died by suicide on Sunday, 15 June, at Kipasi Police Post in Suba North, Homa Bay County. Onditi had been arrested for allegedly trespassing into a goat pen after being reported by the area chief. According to police, he was found hanging in a holding room using his trousers, just as officers were preparing to transfer him to Mbita Police Station for further interrogation. His body was…
Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service, Eliud Lagat, has stepped aside from his position amid mounting public pressure and allegations surrounding the death of Albert Ojwang in police custody. In a statement on Monday, Lagat said: “In the good and conscious thought of my role and responsibilities as the Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service, and given the ongoing investigations into the unfortunate incident of the death of Albert Ojwang, I have today opted to step aside from the office of the Deputy Inspector General – Kenya Police Service, pending completion of investigations. The functions of…
A post-mortem has confirmed that two men abducted in Marakwet on 30 May 2025 were tortured to death, before their mutilated bodies were found dumped in Nakuru County—sparking outrage and demands for justice. The victims, identified as Simon Yego, 45, and Collins Kipyatich, 22, were allegedly tortured to death, according to a post-mortem report released on Wednesday. The two men were reportedly abducted hours apart in Tot under chilling circumstances. Kipyatich, who was seeking treatment for malaria at Tot Health Centre, was forcibly taken from the facility by individuals posing as police officers, who used an ambulance to whisk him…
The death of Albert Ojwang while in police custody has ignited nationwide anger and renewed scrutiny of police conduct in Kenya. Ojwang, a 31-year-old teacher based in Voi, was arrested on Saturday, 7th June, in Homa Bay, his home county, for allegedly making derogatory remarks on social media about a senior government official. He was later transferred to Central Police Station in Nairobi. The following morning, he was rushed to Mbagathi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Initial reports by Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja indicated that Ojwang had died by suicide, allegedly sustaining head injuries after…
Tension rose early Thursday in Nairobi’s Central Business District as demonstrators gathered to demand the resignation of public officials, including Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, who has been named in public allegations linking him to the death of Albert Ojwang. On Tuesday, tensions escalated as hundreds of young protesters, predominantly from the Gen Z demographic, flooded the CBD to demand justice. President William Ruto issued a statement on Wednesday, extending his condolences to Ojwang’s family and calling on the National Police Service to cooperate with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to ensure a swift and credible investigation. Notably,…
