Senate Speaker Amason Kingi issued a sharp rebuke to Senators on Wednesday during a heated session probing the controversial death of Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old teacher who died in police custody.
Addressing the chamber following a disruption that broke out just as Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja was about to speak, Kingi urged decorum and seriousness.
“Honourable Senators, we are not here for TikTok bites. We are here on a very serious matter,” Kingi said, expressing frustration at the lack of focus among some members. He emphasized the national significance of the issue. “This matter has affected everybody. Everybody is in pain. So let us not try to show the world that it is only an individual in this chamber that is in pain.”
Earlier, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had addressed the House before inviting IG Kanja to give his account. However, the session was briefly disrupted by disagreements among Senators, prompting Speaker Kingi to call for consultations and restore order.
Ojwang’s death has triggered national outrage after an autopsy revealed he had been assaulted. State pathologist Dr. Bernard Midia said the teacher suffered head trauma, neck compression, and widespread soft tissue injuries. “The cause of death is very clear… all signs point toward assault,” Midia stated, dismissing police claims that Ojwang had inflicted the injuries on himself.
Ojwang was arrested in Homa Bay last Friday for allegedly posting a critical message on X (formerly Twitter) about Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat. He was later transferred over 350 kilometers to Nairobi and detained at Central Police Station. Police initially claimed he was found unconscious in his cell with self-inflicted injuries.
However, a team of five pathologists, including Dr. Midia, released a unanimous report confirming that the injuries were consistent with violent assault, not self-harm. “He did not hit himself on the wall,” Midia clarified.
As pressure mounts for accountability, Senators are now expected to rigorously question both the CS and the IG to uncover the full circumstances surrounding Ojwang’s death and what role police misconduct may have played.
