Kenyans Rally in Massive Funeral Protest Over Death in Police Custody

Initially, only small clusters of mourners gathered as several men worked diligently to dig into the hardened soil.

Signs of the scale of the event soon became apparent. Meat from over ten slaughtered bulls—enough to feed a large crowd—was cooking over open flames. Large tents had been set up in a nearby field, complete with rows of seating underneath.

As the day progressed and the men emerged from the grave they had dug, throngs of people began arriving. Thousands flooded into the rural village, many wearing shirts bearing the message “Rest in Power, Albert,” while others pinned his portrait to their clothes.

The overwhelming attendance at Albert Ojwang’s funeral, a Kenyan blogger who died while in police custody last month, reflects growing unrest in Kenya regarding perceived corruption and impunity within the country’s law enforcement agencies. His death has spotlighted harsh policing tactics and sparked a surge of anti-government demonstrations nationwide, resulting in more than sixteen fatalities.

At the Kakoth Village funeral, held near Ojwang’s family home, religious leaders, activists, and politicians addressed the crowd from a raised platform under the clear sky. The audience joined in singing hymns, while passionate speakers energized the younger attendees with calls for justice.