Tensions boiled over in Homa Bay County on Thursday, July 4, 2025, as thousands of enraged youths stormed and set ablaze the Mawego Police Post in Rachuonyo East, carrying the coffin of slain blogger Albert Ojwang’ in a dramatic protest against police brutality.
Ojwang’, who died under mysterious circumstances while in police custody at Nairobi’s Central Police Station, had been arrested last month at his father’s home and initially detained at Mawego Police Station.
The youth-led demonstration occurred just a day before Ojwang’s scheduled burial.
“The coffin was intercepted by the youth at Lida shopping centre, about a kilometre from his home in Kokwanyo village,” a source told sauce.co.ke. “They insisted the body must be taken to the station where he was first held.”
What began as a funeral procession quickly turned volatile. The youth, disregarding pleas from Albert’s father, commandeered the coffin from the hearse and marched to Mawego Police Post, determined to confront what they view as the origin of his wrongful detention and eventual death.
At the station, a tense three-hour standoff ended in chaos as the demonstrators tore down barricades and set the station ablaze, including the Officer Commanding Station’s office, according to Homa Bay County Police Commander Lawrence Koilen.
“We condemn this criminal destruction of property. The officers had already vacated the post when the mob arrived,” Koilen told Citizen TV via phone.
Albert Ojwang’s death has emerged as a symbol of public outrage over growing police brutality and forced disappearances in Kenya. His case has drawn national attention, with activists, bloggers, and human rights groups demanding justice and accountability.
You can read more about Ojwang’s arrest and tragic death in our original report, which triggered widespread protests online and offline.
Ojwang’s body was initially slated for public viewing at Nyawango Primary School, but the day’s events took a dramatic turn as the crowd redirected the funeral procession to the police post.
The incident underscores rising public frustration and the increasingly confrontational stance by youth and activists toward the state, especially regarding the use of excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and lack of transparency in police operations.
No injuries were reported from the confrontation, but police are expected to launch investigations into the arson.
Human rights watchdogs are also pushing for an independent probe into Ojwang’s death, which they argue was state-sanctioned violence.
