Clerics demand resignation of DIG Lagat over Ojwang’s death probe
A coalition of evangelical and Pentecostal church leaders has called for the resignation of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat over the death of former teacher Albert Ojwang while in police custody earlier this month.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, June 15, 2025, Stephen Mutua, Vice Chair of the Kenya Coalition of Church Alliances and Ministries (KCCM), expressed the church’s outrage over the circumstances surrounding Ojwang’s death, calling for all those involved to step aside until investigations are concluded.
“Anybody and everybody who is involved should step down. If they are later found not guilty, no problem—they will be reinstated to their places of work. We want to see what the reason was, why did Albert Ojwang die? Who was responsible?” Mutua posed.
The clerics emphasised that the death had deeply shaken the public’s trust in law enforcement, citing it as part of a worrying pattern of unexplained deaths involving young people in Kenya.
“What were the allegations that Albert Ojwang came with, and whatever was in the social media and media, was it true or not true? What is the end result? What is the role of EACC? So the time has come when we are not sugarcoating anything. The time has come when we have to, when we go to investigate, we investigate and come out with the results. That’s our call,” Mutua rallied.
They also condemned the violence that rocked parts of Nairobi on June 12, 2025, as demonstrators clashed with police during protests over Ojwang’s death.
According to KCCM, the death of Ojwang and the subsequent violence stemming from the protests highlight a crisis of moral leadership and accountability within the police service.
“We are deeply troubled by this incident, which raises serious questions about the moral integrity of some of our police officers and the broader issue of accountability within the National Police Service,” he said.
Raft of appeals
In a strongly worded appeal, KCCM urged the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to widen its probe beyond Ojwang’s death and investigate other cases of suspicious deaths in police custody.
“To IPOA, we urge you to expand investigations into the death of Albert Ojwang and other unclear deaths of young people in the nation. All officers found culpable must be held accountable under the law,” KCCM stated.
They also called on the Inspector General of Police to ensure peaceful protests are protected and not met with violent suppression.
“To the Inspector General of Police, we call on you to rein in your officers across the country and to ensure that peaceful demonstrations are allowed to proceed without undue interference,” they said.
“At the same time, we appeal for vigilance against the infiltration of those protests by the violent elements who are bent on the chaos and destruction of public property,” they added.
Addressing President William Ruto directly, the church leaders expressed concern over the diminishing public confidence in the government’s commitment to security and justice.
“To Your Excellency, we appeal to you with a heavy heart. Fear and anxiety are increasingly taking root across our country due to the growing perception of police brutality,” they lamented.
The clergy urged Ruto to lead by example by instituting visible reforms within the security services in accordance with the constitution and to reaffirm that police exist to protect, not persecute, the people of Kenya.
“We urge you to lead from the front in reaffirming that the role of our security agencies is to protect the people of Kenya, not to intimidate or abduct them. The tragic death of the blogger, alongside other reported cases of excessive force, has deeply eroded the public trust,” Mutua said.
