|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Introduction
Kenya is once again in the spotlight over state violence following two high-profile incidents and mounting evidence of systemic police brutality.
On June 8, 2025, 31‑year‑old teacher and blogger Albert Omondi Ojwang was arrested in Homa Bay for allegedly defaming Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat and later died under suspicious circumstances at Nairobi Central Police Station. Police initially claimed suicide, but a post-mortem found severe head trauma and neck compression, pointing to assault.
On June 17, during protests sparked by Ojwang’s death, mask vendor Boniface Kariuki—not a protester—was caught in Nairobi. Video shows riot police punching him and shooting him at point-blank range in the head. He remains in intensive care with severe brain injuries.
Kenya has a troubling recent history: at least 118 extrajudicial killings by police occurred in 2023, and between March and July 2023 alone, 31 protesters were killed, with another 60 reported dead during the June–July “Gen Z” protests over tax policy.
Global Watch: Why this matters
These two recent high-profile incidents quickly reveal a pattern, rather than isolated events. Kenya’s response will send signals to citizens and the international community—a possible tipping point with the upcoming June 25 protests looming.
All eyes are now on June 25, with what organisers call the “mother of all protests.” It is expected to sweep across major Kenyan cities. Mobilised by youth activists, civil society groups, and outraged citizens, the demonstrations aim to demand justice for Albert Ojwang and Boniface Kariuki—but their scope goes far deeper. Protesters say they are rising against a decades-old system of police violence, political impunity, and government inaction.
Despite a wave of online mobilisation by youth planning peaceful marches in memory of Gen Z protesters killed in last year’s anti-government demonstrations, the government has ruled out any form of street protest.
Speaking on a local radio show on Monday, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura stated that no protests would be permitted on June 25, citing the need to maintain regular economic and public order. He emphasised that those wishing to commemorate the day could do so from the comfort of their own homes.
Human rights bodies report over 1,264 executions and 237 disappearances since 2017.
Public sentiment is explosive: nationwide protests chant “Stop killing us,” social media is ablaze with #JusticeForAlbertOjwang, and lawmakers across the aisle demand accountability.
Authorities accept blame to save face?
Authorities have interdicted several officers. Deputy IG Lagat stepped down as an accountability officer and was arrested in Boniface’s case, while two face charges in Ojwang’s death, but such measures are widely seen as insufficient.
Structural Failures & Reform Challenges
- 2010 Constitution & IPOA’s Emergence: Reforms included the establishment of IPOA, NPSC, and DCI to curb police abuses. However, commissions (e.g., Ransley, Waki) and the 2010 Constitution failed to dismantle a culture of impunity.
- Maraga Task Force Findings (Nov 2023): Identified endemic corruption, nepotism, poor leadership, and political interference in the police service. Its recommendations were met with scepticism over implementation.
Ruto Era: Escalating Brutality & Disappearances
From Oct 2022 to Aug 2023, Nairobi’s Missing Voices Coalition documented 1,264 executed citizens and 237 disappearances. Between March and July 2023 alone, at least 31 protesters were killed; none of the officers were prosecuted. In 2024, disappearances rose by 450% (55 cases versus 10 in 2023); 104 extrajudicial killings occurred—65% of documented incidents—mainly targeting youth. Reports show police logged protest deaths as accidents or drownings to obscure brutality and avoid accountability.
Culture of Impunity & Compromised Oversight
Police are ranked as the most corrupt institution in Kenya; bribery in recruitment, promotion, and operations persists unchecked. IPOA’s caseload is heavy—15,000 complaints, 1,200 referrals—but prosecution delays and obstruction by the police service hinder justice; less than 2% of shooting-related murders reach trial.
Conclusion
What began as the arrest of a teacher for a social media post has erupted into a national reckoning with the soul of Kenya’s policing system. The brutal death of Albert Ojwang in state custody and the near-fatal shooting of Boniface Kariuki are not isolated tragedies—they are the latest chapters in a long, bloodied ledger of state-sanctioned violence. For every body buried quietly, there is a family broken, a community terrorised, and a Constitution betrayed.
Kenya now stands at a crossroads. Either it confronts the rot within its law enforcement institutions with bold, uncompromising reform, or it continues down a path where justice is silenced, dissent is punished, and impunity reigns. With a nation on edge and the streets bracing for mass protests, the question is no longer whether the system is broken but whether there is still the political will to fix it before more lives are lost.
The world is watching. So is history.
