During protests on Tuesday in Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD), a hawker was shot by police, igniting fresh outrage over alleged police brutality in the wake of ongoing demonstrations demanding justice for Albert Ojwang, a blogger and educator who died in police custody last week. Eyewitnesses identified the victim as a street vendor selling masks and water to protesters near Imenti House when he was confronted by two armed officers.
Online video of one officer firing at the man from close range from a mobile phone shows them casually walking away as the victim collapses. I'm sorry, he shot him! a protester can be heard shouting in the video.
The man later passed away in the hospital from his injuries. Police Headquarters confirmed the arrest of the officer involved but did not provide further details.
"This man simply sold water. He was shot without justification; this is murder!” a distraught woman wailed at the scene. The victim, according to witnesses, was unarmed and posed no threat. “He wasn’t even protesting. He was just hustling. How do you justify shooting him?” asked Brian Mwangi, a protester who witnessed the incident.
What began as a peaceful demonstration against Ojwang’s death descended into chaos as riot police clashed with protesters, and suspected hired goons on motorcycles attacked demonstrators.
At least two motorcycles were set ablaze by angry crowds who accused the riders of robbing protesters under police protection.
Journalists covering the protests reported harassment, theft of equipment, and assaults, with no immediate police intervention—fueling accusations of state-backed suppression.
Protesters are demanding the arrest of Deputy Inspector-General Eliud Lagat, whose complaint against Ojwang led to the blogger’s arrest and subsequent death in custody.
Lagat announced he had “stepped aside” on Monday, but activists dismissed the move as insufficient.
“Stepping aside isn’t justice. Hussein Khalid of VOCAL Africa stated, "Lagat must be charged with murder." Ojwang, a vocal government critic, was arrested on June 6 for allegedly defaming Lagat online.
He was found dead in a Nairobi police cell two days later. While authorities claimed he “collapsed,” an autopsy revealed blunt force trauma, neck compression, and torture injuries.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has named 17 officers as suspects in Ojwang's death, and the Central Police Station OCS is one of three officers who have already been arrested. The killing of the hawker has increased public outrage regarding extrajudicial executions in Kenya, particularly in light of the massive GenZ protests against police brutality held last year. Demonstrators have vowed to continue marching until justice is served.
“We won’t be silenced by bullets,” said student activist Daniel Okoth. “If they think this will stop us, they’re wrong. We will return. As tensions rise, calls for accountability grow louder, with many fearing further state crackdowns in the days ahead.
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