The strangling of a Kenyan blogger in police custody sparks nationwide protests, public outrage, and calls for justice and accountability.

Widespread protests rocked Nairobi on Monday and Tuesday following the death of Kenyan blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody. Ojwang, who had been detained on Sunday, was found unresponsive in his cell at a local police station.

Police initially claimed that Ojwang died by suicide, allegedly by repeatedly hitting his head against a cell wall. However, an independent autopsy conducted on Tuesday presented a conflicting account, concluding that Ojwang had been strangled.

Government pathologist Dr. Bernard Midia reported injuries inconsistent with self-harm. “The trauma patterns on his head do not match those caused by impact with a blunt surface like a wall,” Dr. Midia stated during a press briefing.

Ojwang was arrested on Friday in Homa Bay, in western Kenya, and transported approximately 400 kilometers to Nairobi. Activists link the arrest to a recent social media post in which he criticized Deputy Police Chief Eliud Lagat.

At a press event outside the Nairobi Funeral Home, where supporters gathered to pay their respects, Ojwang’s family and legal representatives highlighted visible injuries on his face, hands, and torso. “How could he have inflicted these wounds on himself?” questioned activist Ndungi Githuku.

In response to public outrage, the Kenya Police confirmed that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has opened an investigation into Ojwang’s death. Inspector-General Douglas Kanja also announced the suspension of all officers who were on duty during Ojwang’s detention, pending the results of the inquiry.

Amnesty International Kenya condemned Ojwang’s detention and called for transparency in the IPOA investigation. “Any officer found culpable must face justice,” the organization stated.

Anger continues to mount online, with fresh calls for demonstrations demanding accountability. Observers have drawn parallels with last year’s protests against a controversial finance bill, during which multiple activists were reportedly killed or abducted by police. While that bill was eventually withdrawn, economic frustrations and mistrust in law enforcement remain high across the country.