Kenya’s Senate erupted in anger on Tuesday as lawmakers demanded the immediate arrest of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Kipkoech Lagat, following the suspicious death of 26-year-old Albert Ojwang in police custody.
Ojwang, a young man from Homa Bay, was arrested on Saturday and later transferred to Nairobi. By Sunday, he was dead.
The police say he took his own life—claims now widely discredited.
“We want Eliud Lagat arrested. Let him write his statement from a police cell. Maybe then he’ll understand the weight of this,” said Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale in a fiery address to the Senate floor.
Khalwale was among a group of senators who called for top-level resignations and a full inquiry into the alleged cover-up. “The officers who moved Ojwang from Homa Bay to Nairobi must also be held accountable. Why are they still walking free?” he added.
A Death That Raised Alarms
According to the police, Ojwang died by suicide, hitting his head against a wall while in custody. But that account was thrown into question after government pathologist Dr Bernard Midia released the findings of an autopsy.
“The trauma on the head did not match the kind of injuries you’d expect from a single blow on a wall,” Dr Midia explained. “There were multiple injuries consistent with an assault.”
The revelation has sparked public outrage and fresh scrutiny of police conduct, particularly regarding detainees who do not leave police stations alive.
A House Divided
During Tuesday’s debate, senators cut across party lines to call out what they saw as a rising pattern of brutality and impunity. Some, like Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, went further.
“Heads must roll,” he said. “From the Cabinet Secretary for Interior to the Inspector General and the OCS in Homa Bay. Even the telecom company that shared Ojwang’s location—everyone involved must be questioned.”
Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang delivered one of the day’s most damning indictments. “This man didn’t just die. He was killed,” Kajwang said. “The Minister of Interior should have resigned by now.”
He also turned the spotlight inward. “We, in Parliament, approved these officers during vetting. So let’s not act like we’re innocent. The Police IG is answerable to this House.”
Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot struck a more introspective tone, accusing his colleagues of performative outrage. “We make speeches, post on TikTok, and then go home. Are we a House of lamentations, or are we here to act?”
He referenced a motion passed after protests in June last year, questioning why its recommendations were never implemented. “If we whine, what do you expect the youth out there to do?” he asked.
The Corruption Angle
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka drew attention to Ojwang’s online posts before his arrest. On the platform X, formerly Twitter, Ojwang accused senior police officials of corruption, claiming billions were being misused.
“What did he know that led to his death?” Onyonka asked. “This country needs fixing, and we’re part of the mess. The police aren’t the problem—they’re a symptom of a failed system.”
A Family Still Waiting for Justice
The death of Albert Ojwang has become a symbol of a deeper crisis in Kenya’s justice system. As his family mourns, the public demands accountability.
Outside Parliament, protesters carried placards bearing his name. On social media, Kenyans shared the hashtag #JusticeForOjwang.
The Office of the Inspector General, led by Douglas Kanja, has yet to comment on the Senate proceedings. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has also remained silent.
But the pressure is mounting. And with Parliament now openly discussing judicial inquiries and arrests at the highest level, this case could mark a turning point.
If nothing else, as Senator Kajwang said, “We owe it to Albert. We owe it to every Kenyan who leaves their house and wonders if they’ll make it back.”
