PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE PATRICK OSOI DEMANDS JUSTICE IN DEATH OF ALBERT OJWANG ’, CITING POLICE NEGLIGENCE AND COMMAND FAILURE.
BY FELIX WANDERA.
Patrick Osoi,Presidential Candidate.
Albert Ojwang.
Nairobi, Kenya – June 13, 2025.
Presidential candidate Patrick Osoi has issued a scathing statement over the controversial death of Albert Ojwang’, calling for justice, transparency, and accountability from Kenya’s police service. In a detailed message shared under the trending hashtag #JusticeForOjwang’, Osoi accuses key law enforcement officers of either complicity or gross negligence, arguing that Ojwang’s death reflects deeper rot within the country’s security apparatus.
“Command responsibility cannot be ignored,” Osoi said. “While emotions and assumptions should not interfere with investigations, it is imperative that each officer bears personal accountability for their orders and actions.”
Osoi maintained that the Inspector General of Police should not be blamed, noting that under Kenyan law, gazetted and commissioned officers are solely responsible for the commands they issue. Instead of facing accusations, the IG, he said, should play a facilitative role—ensuring protection of witnesses and preservation of evidence.
The presidential hopeful also pointed to what he described as an apparent cover-up on the day of Ojwang’s death. CCTV systems at the Central Police Station were allegedly disabled, and several officers on duty were suspended without formal criminal charges—a move Osoi insists violates legal and constitutional procedures.
“A government employee cannot be interdicted or suspended without court-backed charges,” he said. “The first step should have been the arrest of all potential suspects to pave the way for a credible and impartial investigation.”
Osoi emphasized that the matter should not be politicized or turned into a parliamentary debate. “Such matters are not for Legislatures to debate,” he stated. “They are about justice, and justice must be pursued through proper investigative and judicial channels.”
In his assessment of responsibility, Osoi identified several layers of culpability. He labeled the arresting officers as the first respondents, accusing them of executing an unlawful arrest without a court order and outside their jurisdiction. If they did not directly cause Ojwang’s death, Osoi argued, they could still face charges for carrying out an illegal order.
He also raised red flags about the officers stationed at Central Police Station, who had physical custody of Ojwang’. With the CCTV systems reportedly tampered with and the suspect allegedly denied medical attention, the officers could face charges of gross negligence, especially if signs of injury were visible.
Osoi further named Deputy Inspector General Lagat as a secondary respondent, suggesting that if he issued the initial unlawful command, he could be held accountable under criminal law. Although the principle of actus reus may shield him from direct murder charges if the death occurred under another officer’s watch, Osoi argued he would still be culpable for authorizing an illegal act.
Similarly, the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) at Central Police may avoid murder charges but would still face accountability for negligence if he failed to intervene while Ojwang’ was in distress and in need of medical care.
Concluding his statement, Osoi issued a stark warning to police officers across the country:
“To the officers out there—you better lose your jobs for disobeying unlawful orders than be implicated for murder.”
He added that numerous police and National Intelligence Service (NIS) officers have become “sacrificial lambs” in similar cases and urged law enforcement personnel to uphold the rule of law at all costs.
As the nation awaits the findings of a full investigation, Osoi’s remarks have added fuel to a growing movement demanding answers in the death of Albert Ojwang’. With hashtags such as #DrainTheSwamp, #EnoughIsEnough, and #JusticeForOjwang’ trending online, the case is fast becoming a litmus test for Kenya’s commitment to justice, accountability, and reform within the police service.
