Tensions boiled over in Homa Bay County on Thursday as a crowd of enraged youth stormed and set fire to Mawego Police Station while carrying the body of the late blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang, who died under controversial circumstances in police custody.
The dramatic scenes unfolded as mourners arrived in Homa Bay from Nairobi with Ojwang’s casket, heading straight to the police station where he was initially held before being transferred to the Central Police Station in Nairobi.
According to eye witness, the protest began as a symbolic exercise intended to ward off “evil spirits” that might disturb the blogger’s peace, but quickly escalated into chaos.
In viral footage captured on the ground, a mammoth crowd was seen sprinting toward the police station, with some youth hoisting Ojwang’s coffin above their heads.
Police officers reportedly fled the premises upon hearing that the crowd was approaching with the casket, abandoning the station moments before it was set ablaze.“The youth were chanting, crying, and singing dirges,” said a resident who witnessed the unrest. “They were angry, and all they wanted was justice for Albert.”Ojwang, was arrested from his home in Homa Bay under unclear circumstances and transported to Nairobi by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
He died while in custody, sparking nationwide uproar and allegations of police brutality.On Wednesday, July 2, family and friends gathered at Ridgeways Baptist Church in Nairobi for a somber requiem service, where his mother, Eucabeth Ojwang, recounted the last moments before her son’s arrest.“They took my Albert just when I had prepared lunch for him. He hadn’t even taken a bite of ugali before the police took him,” she said tearfully. “When they came, Albert was trembling. I asked him what was wrong; he told me he had done nothing.”At the service, Albert was eulogised as an “unproblematic young man” whose life was tragically cut short.
His death has since triggered countrywide protests, particularly among Gen-Z activists who have been vocal about police accountability.
Authorities have yet to release a full report on the circumstances leading to his death, but calls for justice are growing louder, with civil society groups, human rights defenders, and opposition leaders urging an independent investigation.
As of Thursday evening, security in the area remained tense, with additional officers deployed to reinforce other police installations in Homa Bay County.
Ojwang’s burial is scheduled for Friday, July 4, at his family’s home in Homa Bay. His family has maintained that they will not rest until justice is served.
