The Albert Ojwang death has left Kenya reeling. Ojwang was a popular and vocal Kenyan teacher and X blogger taken away in the prime of his life. This was after he was arrested for criticizing police leadership and murdered under mysterious circumstances.
Grief is strange.
Grief sneaks up on you, even if you never directly knew the person. On Albert Ojwang death, the grief is heavy, even if we didn’t know him personally. His burial was more than just a goodbye. It was a national moment of heartbreak, reflection, and a cry for justice.
Today, when the videos emerged — his mother wailing, mourners crying, the heavy pall of silence that hung over the country, I felt low as well. Because Albert could have been my brother or friend or son someday.
We are a country that grieves in public, and loudly. But Albert’s death? It was that quiet pain that sat lodged in your throat. Because this was not just loss, it was injustice. Police claimed he harmed himself. But the autopsy? It said something else: blunt force trauma and compression of the neck.
As Kenyans, we are tired.
- Of burying our own with no answers.
- Of hashtags seeking justice.
- Mothers who sent sons to school, only to bury them in caskets.
But we must keep mourning. Not because we are weak, but because we care deeply. Because grief is not weakness. It is evidence of a life that mattered.
To all the young souls who have lost their lives in the ongoing protests.
To all the parents, who are holding on to memories of their children.
To all the comrades, who have lost their fellow students.
To everyone who has lost someone, particularly in unresolved circumstances.
You are not alone. Light a candle. Say a prayer. Cry. And if you can, say their name. Like Albert Ojwang death, it will never be in Vain.
If you have ever dealt with grief silently, you may also connect with this personal post on surviving hard seasons.
Justice for Albert Ojwang
Calls for justice following the Albert Ojwang death continue to intensify. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and various human rights groups have launched investigations and demanded accountability from law enforcement involved in his arrest and custody. Even the U.S. Embassy in Kenya issued a statement urging a full and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
To Albert’s family: Your pain is ours as well.
And to all the people mourning, whether it is a great display or one that is hidden, we see you. We carry this grief together. If the Albert Ojwang death teaches us anything, it is that silence is not an option. Grief must fuel justice.
:- Joy Tich