Kenya: Death of blogger triggers fresh anti-government protests

DW (English)

Tensions in Kenya are running high over the death of blogger Albert Ojwang. Ojwang had criticized a senior police official on social media before his arrest. He died in police custody.

Transcript

00:00They're demanding justice for Albert Ojuang, a name largely unknown until news emerged of his death in a Kenyan police cell.

00:09The 31-year-old teacher had apparently tarnished the name of a senior police official on social media.

00:15The initial police statement? He died after hitting his head on the cell wall.

00:19A statement that rights activists who viewed Ojuang's body find hard to believe.

00:24The body was swollen and he had bruises, he had bruises here, somewhere on the face, on the shoulder, here on the elbow.

00:35So really you see that and it doesn't look like someone who was hitting their head on the wall.

00:41This is just a small crowd of protesters who've walked from city mortuary and they're walking to the central business district of Nairobi.

00:48They're angry about the death of Albert Ojuang and they're asking questions around his death.

00:54The police have removed officers involved in the case.

00:57Kenya's independent police watchdog says it started questioning officers and witnesses.

01:02I also visited the scene myself, the cell where he died and there was a lot of blood on the floor, on the walls.

01:13It's quite sad really to see that picture.

01:17Many are viewing Ojuang's arrest and death as yet another abuse of police power.

01:23Since the youth protests last year, over 60 deaths allegedly linked to the police are being investigated.

01:29The tension between Kenyans and the authorities is palpable.

01:32There's no value for life. They are killing us every single day and it goes unchecked.

01:39So we're here to demand for justice.

01:41With the one-year anniversary of the deadly 2024 protests looming,

01:45there are fears that Kenya could see more unrest and a harsher state crackdown in the coming weeks.

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