President Ruto faulted amid public anger over extra-judicial killings

President William Ruto has come under fire over what critics say is a failure of his administration to clamp down on police brutality and extra-judicial killings, despite his pledge upon assuming office in 2022.

This is amid boiling public anger over last weekend’s death of blogger and schoolteacher Albert Ojwang' in police custody after he was arrested over a derogatory post he allegedly made on the social media platform X.

In a Wednesday interview on Citizen TV’s Daybreak program, Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu termed Ojwang’s death and the recent spate of abductions “a part of the broken promises” Ruto gave Kenyans to win voters.

The MP lauded Kenyans for exercising their constitutional rights and freedoms through civic engagement, saying Ruto’s government should stop silencing dissidents.

“Kenyans understand the constitution and are doing exactly what it allows them. It is up to the Kenya Kwanza administration to live to that spirit because they all swore to protect the constitution,” Mulu said.

“They need to pull up their socks, they are not living up to their expectations.”

Ojwang’ was arrested by Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) officers in Kakot, Homa Bay County on Saturday afternoon, who said they were probing him over a derogatory post he allegedly made on the social media platform X.

Kenya Police Service Deputy Inspector-General Eliud Lagat was the complainant behind the arrest. 

The officers later drove Ojwang’ to Nairobi and detained him at the Central Police Station.

However, when his family arrived at the police station on Sunday to follow up on the case, police told them Ojwang’ had died and his body taken to City Mortuary.

Police claim the suspect died in hospital from self-inflicted injuries after hitting himself against the cell wall.

But a post-mortem on Tuesday disputed the claims, revealing that Ojwang had severe head injuries and suffered neck compression and multiple soft tissue trauma.

Pathologists noted that if Ojwang had hit himself on the wall, per the police’s claims, the pattern of injuries would have been different, and frontal bleeding on the head would have been seen.

Since Sunday, President Ruto and his deputy, Kithure Kindiki have been widely criticised for their silence on the incident.

Some MPs and senators have additionally called for DIG Lagat’s resignation over potential conflict in the ongoing investigations, while others want Ruto to ensure the officers behind Ojwang’s death are charged.

Inspector-General Douglas Kanja on Monday said officers manning the Central Police Station at the time of Ojwang's booking had been interdicted.

They include the Officer Commanding Station (OCS), the duty officer on shift on Saturday night, the cell sentry on duty, and all officers manning the report office then.

Last month, Amnesty International Kenya reported 104 incidents of extrajudicial killings between January and December 2024, adding to the 118 cases the rights group reported in 2023.