June 20, 2025—The heart of our nation aches. In recent days, Kenya has been plunged into a profound crisis, marked by events that demand our collective outrage and a resolute call for justice and fundamental changes.
I condemn in the strongest terms the wanton killing of innocent Kenyans by the police or in police custody or under the supervision of the police in Kenya.
The tragic death of blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody has sent shockwaves across our country. Mr. Ojwang, arrested on June 6 in western Kenya and transported 400 kilometers to Nairobi for allegedly publishing “false information” about a high-ranking police official, was found dead two days later at the Central Police Station.
While police initially claimed he died from “hitting his head against the cell wall,” a government pathologist’s findings unequivocally refuted this, revealing a “head injury, neck compression and other injuries spread all over the body that are pointing towards assault.”
This horrific incident has led to the arrest of a police officer, the officer commanding the Central Police Station (Samson Talam), and a colleague (James Mukhwana), with Deputy Inspector General Eliud Langat stepping aside to facilitate investigations.
Adding to this unbearable grief, just two days ago, on June 17, 2025, during protests in Nairobi demanding accountability for Ojwang’s death, Boniface Kariuki, an unarmed 22-year-old hawker, was shot at close range in the head by masked police officers.
This innocent bystander, a face mask vendor, miraculously survived but remains in critical condition with severe gunshot wounds at Kenya’s largest referral government hospital. Two police officers have since been arrested and arraigned in court.
Disturbingly, during these protests, hundreds of armed men on motorbikes, described as “goons,” attacked demonstrators, with police reportedly observed actively protecting these assailants.
A Deeply Entrenched Pattern of Impunity
These are not isolated incidents. They are a stark reminder of a deeply entrenched pattern of police brutality and a pervasive culture of impunity that has plagued our nation for far too long.
Despite repeated promises from the highest levels of government to protect citizens from “rogue police officers,” the reality on the ground continues to be one of violence and a profound lack of accountability. Human rights organizations have consistently documented dozens of killings, hundreds of injuries, and numerous enforced disappearances during protests in 2024 and 2025, with investigations rarely leading to justice.
The nation is tending towards anarchy, with politicians, especially those close to the power brokers and some in the opposition, releasing very careless statements. This divisive rhetoric, coupled with economic hardships exacerbated by policies that disproportionately burden our citizens, fuels widespread discontent and undermines the very fabric of our society.
The pervasive corruption, consistently ranked as a top problem by Kenyans, further erodes public trust and diverts resources essential for our development.
A Call for Transformation
In this moment of profound challenge, we must turn to a higher power and to our collective conscience.
ARISE OH LORD LET YOUR ENEMIES BE SCATTERED IN KENYA!
My consolation, however, is that the time of shaking of those corrupt and unrepentant in Kenyan governance has finally come. “LORD shake off from Kenya all the selfish, self-centered, proud and evil schemes. May a new leadership emerge in Kenya which will lead the nation to her economic, social and spiritual destiny.”
This is a call for a fundamental transformation, not merely superficial changes. It is a demand for a leadership that prioritizes the lives and well-being of its citizens, upholds the rule of law, and genuinely commits to eradicating corruption. We must insist on impartial investigations, accountability for all abuses, and a political discourse that unites rather than divides. Only then can Kenya truly embark on its path to a just, stable, and prosperous future.
Rev John Wesley Nguuh
Kingdom Quest International
