Youth Carrying Albert Ojwang’s Body Burn and Torch Mawego Police Station in Protest
Chaos erupted in Homa Bay County on Thursday afternoon after angry youth, carrying the body of slain teacher Albert Ojwang, stormed Mawego Police Station and set it ablaze in a fiery protest against what they described as a gross miscarriage of justice.
Ojwang, who died under unclear circumstances on June 8, 2025, had initially been arrested and booked at Mawego Police Station on June 7, before being transferred to Central Police Station in Nairobi. The events surrounding his arrest, detention, and eventual death have sparked national outrage and prompted investigations at the highest levels of government.
In dramatic scenes captured in videos widely shared online, a massive crowd of mourners—many of them youth—was seen carrying Ojwang’s coffin as they marched through the streets of Homa Bay, chanting dirges and demanding justice. Upon reaching Mawego Police Station, some in the group turned violent, setting sections of the facility on fire.
According to witnesses, the symbolic act of marching with the body to the police station was part of a cultural ritual meant to ward off evil spirits and reclaim dignity for the deceased. However, the peaceful procession quickly spiraled into a full-blown protest.
The attack on the police station comes just a day after a somber requiem mass for Ojwang was held at Ridgeways Baptist Church in Nairobi. Family members remembered him as a gentle and humble soul who had no history of conflict or trouble with authorities.
“They took my Albert just when I had prepared lunch for him. He had not even taken a bite of ugali before they took him,” his grieving mother, Eucabeth Ojwang, recalled. “When they came, Albert was trembling. I asked him what was wrong. He told me he had done nothing.”
Ojwang’s arrest and subsequent transfer to Nairobi have drawn sharp criticism from human rights activists and legal experts, many of whom have questioned the legality of his transfer across jurisdictions without a court order.
When the matter was brought before the Senate on June 11, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale grilled DCI Director Mohammed Amin, demanding proof of legal procedure. Amin maintained that no court order was necessary for inter-jurisdictional transfers.
“The deceased was booked in and later booked out of Mawego Police Station at 1600 hours and booked into Central Police Station at 2132 hours,” Amin stated.
Following public pressure, Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat stepped aside to allow investigations into Ojwang’s death to proceed without interference.
The burning of Mawego Police Station is a grim reflection of mounting tensions between the public and law enforcement agencies. Authorities have yet to release an official statement on the arson, though investigations are expected.
Ojwang’s body had just arrived in Homa Bay from Nairobi on Thursday morning ahead of his burial.
In other news: Blogger Ndiang’ui Kinyagia Summoned to DCI After Reappearance from Alleged Hiding
Youth Carrying Albert Ojwang’s Body Burn and Torch Mawego Police Station in Protest