Author: Guy Bolding PW

Albert Ojwang, a rising social media voice from Homa Bay, died in police custody under suspicious circumstances. His death has sent shockwaves across Kenya, igniting public anger and demands for justice.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has now stepped forward, pointing a direct finger at Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat. Gachagua claims that Lagat personally orchestrated Ojwang’s arrest and oversaw the conditions that led to his death.

The former DP is calling for the immediate suspension of Langat to allow for a clean, independent investigation. Kenyans are now asking, Who is protecting the killers?

Gachagua Demands Accountability from Eliud Lagat

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua broke his silence on Monday, June 9, in a strongly worded statement that blamed Eliud Lagat for the tragic death of Albert Ojwang.

According to Gachagua, the Deputy IG ordered the arrest of Ojwang on Saturday, June 7, allegedly for a “fair comment” he made about Langat on social media. Ojwang was picked up in Homa Bay and transferred hundreds of kilometers away to the Central Police Station in Nairobi, where he died the next day under murky circumstances.

Gachagua alleges that Lagat has turned the Central and Kamukunji Police Stations into “new torture chambers”, operating them in secrecy without the knowledge of Inspector General Douglas Kanja. The former DP’s claims suggest a deep, unauthorized power structure within the police force—one that Gachagua insists must be dismantled starting with Langat’s suspension.

“Eliud Langat must take full responsibility,” Gachagua declared. “He is not only the complainant in this case but also the architect of the crackdown on youth voices. This is not law enforcement—it is suppression.”

He further claimed that Langat’s direct involvement in Ojwang’s arrest compromises any ongoing investigation. Suspending him, Gachagua argued, is the first step toward a credible inquiry.

Who Is Eliud Lagat, and Why Are Kenyans Demanding His Suspension?

Eliud Langat holds one of the highest-ranking positions in the National Police Service. As Deputy Inspector General, he wields immense power over policing operations nationwide. But according to Gachagua, Langat has overstepped his mandate and taken control of specific police stations for personal vendettas.

The tipping point came when Ojwang, a vocal Gen Z activist and social media personality, made online remarks criticizing Langat. Gachagua says this led to a swift and unlawful arrest, ordered personally by the Deputy IG.

That same weekend, Ojwang died while in custody. The police initially claimed he hit his head on a wall, a narrative that has sparked widespread skepticism and outrage.

Gachagua’s accusations paint a picture of a top officer who runs rogue operations shielded from oversight. If true, this undermines the integrity of Kenya’s entire law enforcement system.

Adding to the gravity of the matter, Inspector General Douglas Kanja has already taken action. On June 9, Kanja announced the dismissal of the Officer Commanding Station at Central Police Station and interdicted all officers on duty the night Ojwang died. IPOA has launched a parallel investigation, with NPS pledging full cooperation.

However, critics argue that these steps are not enough. “How can a fair investigation take place when the man at the top is still in office?” one Twitter user asked, echoing calls made by Gachagua and the public alike.

Public Outcry Grows After Ojwang’s Death in Custody

The death of Albert Ojwang has struck a nerve, especially among Kenya’s young and vocal Gen Z population. Thousands have taken to social media to demand justice, with hashtags calling for accountability from the National Police Service and, specifically, Eliud Langat.

Gachagua’s statement has amplified those voices. “To the family of Albert, the people of Homa Bay, and all freedom-loving Kenyans—I stand with you,” he said. “Let this death not be in vain.”

For many, Ojwang’s death symbolizes a larger issue: the shrinking space for free speech in Kenya. Social media, once a tool of empowerment for young people, is increasingly being monitored and weaponized by those in power.

Langat, who gave a speech just months ago pledging to protect human rights, now finds himself at the center of a growing scandal. Activists, politicians, and ordinary Kenyans say his continued presence in office undermines any hope for a transparent investigation.

IPOA’s investigation may take time, but for the public, the demand is clear: Langat must step aside immediately.

NAIROBI, KENYA – A 26-year-old South African national has been arrested and charged with defilement following an incident involving a 17-year-old Nairobi schoolgirl he allegedly met through the popular dating application Tinder.

Bradley Zwane was taken into custody at Kibra Police Station after the teenager’s disappearance last month sparked a frantic search by her family and law enforcement authorities.

The case began when the minor, encouraged by a classmate, downloaded Tinder and created a profile.

Within days of joining the platform, she began receiving multiple matches, including from Zwane, who was staying at a luxury hotel in Westlands.

The teenager subsequently disappeared from her family home, prompting her parents to file a missing person report with Kibra Police Station.

“When my daughter disappeared, I didn’t sleep the entire night,” the girl’s mother told investigators. “I was so afraid. I told myself my child had either been kidnapped or killed.”

Acting swiftly on the missing person report, investigators traced the girl to the Westlands hotel where Zwane was staying.

During a search of the premises, police discovered several concerning items, including five Kenyan passports – four of which were reportedly brand new, with one showing recent travel stamps from South Africa and Russia.

The room also contained used condoms, further raising investigators’ concerns about the nature of the encounter.

Zwane, now in police custody, has maintained that he believed the girl was of legal age.

According to police statements, the suspect claimed the teenager told him she was 18 years old, consistent with what was allegedly listed on her Tinder profile.

“I asked her how old she was, and she said 18, just like it said on her Tinder profile,” Zwane reportedly told police.

“I asked for her ID, and she jokingly said it was a 4. She told me her birthday was yesterday, and that she had finished high school and was waiting to go to university.”

Regarding the suspicious passports found in his possession, Zwane claimed they belonged to a company manager who had traveled to Europe, though authorities continue to investigate these claims.

The case has raised significant questions about online safety and age verification on dating platforms.

Investigators are examining how a minor was able to create a profile on Tinder, which requires users to be at least 18 years old.

Additionally, authorities are questioning how the teenager gained access to the hotel, as most establishments require valid identification for entry.

Police are also investigating Zwane’s alleged connections to an international betting company, though details of this aspect of the case remain limited.

The victim’s mother made an emotional appeal regarding the case, expressing her fears about the long-term impact on her daughter.

“That man called me and asked to talk. I begged him, ‘Please don’t ruin my daughter’s life,’” she said.

“But when I looked at her — she’s just 17. If anything had happened to her, how would he have lived with himself?”

Zwane remains in custody at Kibra Police Station, facing charges that include defilement under Kenyan law.

The case highlights ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in protecting minors from potential predators using online platforms.

The incident has also sparked broader discussions about the responsibility of dating app companies to implement more robust age verification measures and the need for enhanced digital literacy education for young people about online safety.

Investigations into the case continue, with authorities examining both the immediate circumstances of the alleged crime and the broader networks that may have facilitated it.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission commissioner nominee, Hassan Noor Hassan, has revealed that he is a brother-in-law of Suna East MP Junet Mohamed.

Appearing before the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee on Saturday, Hassan divulged the information in response to a question on his suitability to hold the office.

The revelation came after committee members pressed Hassan to clarify the nature of his relationship with the legislator.

“Mr Chairman, I’m related to Honourable Junet Mohamed. I’m his brother-in-law,” he stated.

“I existed long before Junet was born, but I’m Junet’s brother-in-law.”

Committee members insisted the clarification was essential to provide transparency and pre-empt any perceived bias, should Hassan be approved for a role in the IEBC.

The session grew tense when some members raised concerns about discussing perceived personal relationships between nominees and MPs, noting that parliamentary procedures prohibit discussion of a member’s conduct without a substantive motion.

Hassan was also questioned about his declared assets and net worth.

He stated that his wealth, comprising houses and vehicles, is a result of nearly four decades of work and is funded through bank loans.

“My assets can be accounted for. They are an accumulation of nearly 40 years of struggle,” he said, defending his integrity.

On the question of his age and ability to serve effectively, Hassan responded: “Given my wealth of experience, I believe I’m of right age to help the IEBC.”

He also emphasised the value of intergenerational balance within the commission, highlighting the inclusion of younger nominees.

Additionally, Hassan addressed his alleged involvement in the National Youth Service (NYS) corruption case, confirming that he was among those charged but later acquitted.

“True, investigations were done. People were taken to court. I was amongst them and we were acquitted for lack of evidence,” he said.

He further noted that he was a key part of the response team that helped restore order during the 2007 post-election violence in Rift Valley.

During the 2007 crisis, Noor was the Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner.

He said the region was already tense when he took up the role.

“There has been a lot of conflict within the region, in Molo, in Turkana, in Samburu, in Trans Nzoia. We managed to bring the conflict down before the elections,” the nominee told the committee.

Hassan said his efforts were officially recognised.

“I was awarded the best public officer of the year in 2007. I got the Kenya National Human Rights Commission award as the best public servant of the year in the way we managed conflict in the province at that time,” Hassan said.

A grandfather’s anguish exposes the cruel reality of Kenya’s healthcare crisis

The wails of James Muiruri pierce through the morning air like a wounded animal’s cry, carrying with them the weight of a grandfather’s unbearable loss and a nation’s broken promises.

In his trembling hands, he clutches all that remains of his 10-month-old grandson—memories of a life snuffed out not by fate, but by a healthcare system that turned its back when it mattered most.

“There is money for our politicians to fly choppers but there is no medicine in hospitals and the doctors are on strike,” Muiruri’s voice cracks as he speaks, his words a damning indictment of a government that prioritizes political convenience over human life. “God, when will you end the world? We are tired of suffering.”

A Sunday that changed everything

It began as an ordinary Sunday afternoon in Gatundu North. Baby James Muiruri—named after his grandfather with hopes of carrying forward the family legacy—fell ill.

What should have been a routine trip to the hospital became a nightmare that would expose the grotesque inequalities plaguing Kenya’s healthcare system.

On Monday morning, as politicians elsewhere prepared for their day of comfort and privilege, Regina Wanjiku, 32, rushed her ailing son to Igegania Level Four Hospital.

The baby’s chest was clogged, his breathing labored. Time was running out.

But at the hospital, they encountered the first of many walls that would ultimately seal the baby’s fate: the doctors were on strike.

The cruel mathematics of Kenyan healthcare

The few volunteer medics present did what they could, placing young Muiruri on a nebulizer. But his condition was deteriorating rapidly. They needed to transfer him to St. Mulumba Hospital in Thika—if the family could show “commitment” by producing Sh20,000 for admission.

Twenty thousand shillings. The price of a politician’s single helicopter trip became an insurmountable mountain for a family watching their baby struggle for breath.

“We could not afford that amount,” the elder Muiruri recalls, his voice heavy with the bitter irony that in a country where millions are spent on political theatrics, a baby’s life hung in the balance over twenty thousand shillings.

Bureaucracy over humanity

Desperate, the family proposed an alternative: Maragua Hospital in Murang’a County, where doctors were not on strike. Surely, in the face of a dying child, bureaucratic boundaries would bend?

They were wrong.

“The health officials at Igegania Hospital refused, saying an ambulance from Kiambu cannot take a patient to another county,” Muiruri recounts, each word heavy with disbelief. “They even refused to allow us to take him to Maragua using private means.”

Two hours later, as administrators debated jurisdictions and protocols, baby James Muiruri drew his last breath.

The true cost of political priorities

While the Muiruri family watched helplessly as their youngest member slipped away, somewhere in Kenya’s corridors of power, officials were likely planning their next aerial commute.

The cruel mathematics are stark: a single helicopter trip for a politician costs more than what this family needed to save their baby’s life.

The baby’s death certificate will read natural causes, but the truth is more sinister. This was a death by bureaucracy, a killing by misplaced priorities, a tragedy authored by a system that values political convenience over human dignity.

The doctors’ strike in Kiambu County—now in its second week—is itself a symptom of the same disease. Medical professionals, the very people society depends on to save lives, cannot afford their own medical care.

They go months without salaries, work without medical insurance, and face intimidation when they dare speak up.

Dr. James Githinji, Chairman of the Kenya Medical Practitioners Union’s Central Branch, painted a picture as bleak as the Muiruri family’s loss: “We have numerous cases of doctors getting sick and going to hospitals, only to be turned back and forced to pay in cash because Kiambu County has not remitted or paid for their medical insurance.”

The irony is suffocating: doctors who dedicate their lives to healing cannot access the very healthcare system they serve.

The grandfather’s rage

Today, as villagers lead the elder Muiruri to Mangu Dispensary—a Catholic facility filling the void left by government negligence—his family reports he hasn’t slept or eaten since his grandson’s death.

He suffers from hallucinations, his mind perhaps mercifully trying to escape a reality too cruel to bear.

His rage is not just personal grief—it is the collective fury of millions of Kenyans who have watched their leaders live in luxury while citizens die from preventable causes.

It is the anger of parents who know that in this country, your child’s life is worth less than a politician’s flight schedule.

A system that chooses death

The baby’s death exposes a fundamental truth about Kenya’s priorities: we have built a system that can move politicians across the sky in minutes but cannot move a dying baby across county lines.

We have created a nation where those in power soar above the clouds while families below lose their most precious gifts to bureaucratic callousness.

The Health Executive Elias Mbau has promised investigations, but investigations cannot resurrect baby James Muiruri. They cannot heal his grandfather’s shattered heart or restore his mother’s faith in a system that failed her when she needed it most.

The questions that demand answers

How many more babies must die while politicians fly in comfort?

How many more families must be destroyed by a healthcare system that treats human life as a luxury good?

How many more grandparents must wail over preventable losses while their leaders enjoy privileges bought with public funds?

The Muiruri family demands compensation, but no amount of money can restore their loss.

What they truly seek—what all Kenyans deserve—is a system that values human life over political convenience, that prioritizes emergency care over administrative convenience, that chooses compassion over bureaucracy.

A bation’s shame

In the end, baby James Muiruri’s death is not just a family tragedy—it is a national shame that should haunt every Kenyan, especially those in positions of power.

It is a mirror reflecting our moral bankruptcy, a stark reminder that until we value every life equally, we remain a nation divided between those who soar and those who suffer.

The grandfather’s question echoes across the nation: “God, when will you end the world? We are tired of suffering.”

But perhaps the question should be: When will we end this suffering ourselves by demanding better from those we elect to serve us?

Until then, James Muiruri’s wails will continue to pierce the morning air, a grandfather’s lament becoming a nation’s call to conscience—if we still have one left to hear it.

The baby was laid to rest as his grandfather’s words continue to reverberate: “There is money for our politicians to fly choppers but there is no medicine in hospitals.” In a nation of such contrasts, these words stand as both epitaph and indictment.

Court strikes out case filed by former CEO, citing lack of authority to represent music copyright society

The High Court has delivered a decisive blow to Dr. Ezekiel Mutua’s attempts to act on behalf of the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK), ruling that he has no legal standing to represent the organization following his termination as Chief Executive Officer.

Justice Roseylne Aburili struck out a case filed by Dr. Mutua against the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), stating categorically that the former film classification boss cannot transact any business on behalf of MCSK because he was lawfully dismissed from his position.

The ruling comes amid a bitter boardroom war that has engulfed MCSK, an organization that collects approximately Sh200 million annually in royalties for Kenyan musicians.

Dr. Mutua, who was earning Sh742,500 monthly with a year remaining on his contract, was fired by MCSK’s board on grounds of insubordination.

The board accused him of refusing to proceed on paid leave and supporting attempts by some officials to initiate unauthorized changes in the society’s directorship.

A public notice of his termination was published in the Daily Nation on May 9, 2025, though Dr. Mutua immediately dismissed it as containing “false claims.”

Justice Aburili noted that Dr. Mutua had not challenged his termination in the Labour and Employment Court, reinforcing that he is not the legitimate CEO of MCSK.

The court case arose after KRA froze a new Equity Bank account opened by Dr. Mutua, backed by one faction of MCSK’s board.

The freezing order came after a rival faction, led by director Lazarus Muli, complained to various authorities including KRA and the Director of Criminal Investigations about the account’s allegedly fraudulent opening.

Dr. Mutua had sought court intervention to unfreeze the account, arguing that KRA acted without proper notice, violating constitutional principles of fair administrative action.

He claimed MCSK had been faithfully servicing a tax payment plan for Sh18.7 million in arrears when the account was frozen.

The MCSK dispute has split into two camps: one led by Lazarus Muli, who spearheaded Dr. Mutua’s dismissal, and another led by Ephantus Wahome, who disputes the firing.

Both men claim to be the legitimate chairman of MCSK.

The Muli faction had already removed Dr. Mutua as a signatory to two existing MCSK bank accounts, prompting him and the Wahome faction to open the new Equity Bank account that subsequently attracted KRA’s attention.

The Muli faction’s position has been strengthened by two previous High Court rulings. Justice John Chigiti ruled on August 16, 2024, that the Wahome-led faction could not assume leadership of MCSK or transact business on its behalf.

Justice Njoki Mwangi issued a similar ruling on December 8, 2024.

In dismissing Dr. Mutua’s application, Justice Aburili emphasized the importance of respecting court orders, warning against their abuse.

She noted that the governance wrangles within MCSK had been properly documented and that Dr. Mutua’s legal representative had acknowledged the disputes over the organization’s directorship.

The ruling effectively ends Dr. Mutua’s attempts to act on behalf of MCSK while the boardroom battle continues.

The former CEO, who previously headed the Kenya Film Classification Board, now faces the reality that his corporate authority over the music copyright society has been definitively severed by the courts.

The decision leaves MCSK’s estimated Sh200 million annual royalty collection business in the hands of the Muli-led faction, at least until the broader governance disputes are resolved through proper legal channels.