Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has spoken out against the death of Albert Ojawang, who died shortly after being arrested by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) because of a post he made on social media.
In a message on X on Monday, June 9, 2025, the senator compared this situation to the 1977 death of South African activist Steve Biko, who was killed by police during apartheid.
“This is madness! In 1977, after being beaten badly by police, a young man named Steve Biko died. Kenya is heading towards a dangerous and dark place. This must stop!” he said.
Ojawang was taken by police in Kakot, Homa Bay County, on Saturday afternoon, June 7, 2025, because they were investigating a post he made on X, formerly known as Twitter. They took him to Nairobi and locked him up at the Central Police Station.
However, when his family went to the police station on Sunday, June 8, 2025, to check on him, they found out he had died.
“We were waiting for him to go to court on Monday, June 9, 2025, so we could follow up on his case. But today, his father, who went to inquire after the arrest, told me that his son was dead. It is very sad,” a lawyer for the family told reporters outside the police station.
The family learned that Albert’s body was taken to City Mortuary.
“No one should lose their life like this. There are laws, and we expected him to be treated normally and charged, and then, if found guilty, punished according to the law,” the lawyer added.
Meshack Opiyo, Albert’s father, cried as he told how his only child was arrested while having lunch with the family after coming back from the farm.
“He was arrested and taken to Mawego police station, and then later that night, he was moved to Nairobi. The police told me Albert insulted someone important on X,” Opiyo said.
When they arrived in Nairobi on Sunday, June 8, 2025, police at the Central Police Station said that his son died in the hospital from injuries he got by hitting himself against the wall. Opiyo was not sure about what the police said and is asking for an urgent investigation.
