Kenya on edge as protesters and police have a go at each other
Kenya's civil order may be hanging by a thread following the suspicious death of blogger and educator Albert Ojwang in police custody. Videos of protesters being dispersed by tear gas highlight this point, given how reminiscent it is of the 2024 anti-bill protests, which eventually called for the resignation of President William Ruto.
Kenya faces political turmoil following the death of blogger and educator Albert Ojwang in police custody.
Protests erupted over the incident, leading to clashes with police using tear gas and resulting in property damages.
Ojwang, known for his critical social media commentary, was arrested and later declared dead under contested circumstances.
Kenya is on edge as public indignation mounts over the unexplained murder of blogger and educator Albert Ojwang while in police custody.
On Thursday, Kenyan police fired tear gas at protestors in Nairobi, scattering crowds protesting what many are calling a state-sanctioned death.
The protests on the day led to the destruction of properties, particularly vehicles, which had been set ablaze, as they called for the resignation of Deputy Police Chief Eliud Lagat, as reported by Reuters.
However, later reports indicated that a police officer had been arrested in connection with the case.
Additionally, the police revealed that they are investigating six cops, according to national broadcaster KBC.
Despite these developments, the retainment of the police chief makes it uncertain how Kenyans would continue to react.
The anti-bill protests that shook the country to its core last year, began as a protest against a new legislature and even when that was addressed, protests intensified, calling for the resignation of the president, William Ruto.
Backstory of the current Kenyan protests
Ojwang, a 31-year-old renowned for his politically inflammatory comments on X (previously Twitter) and Facebook, was detained last week in Homa Bay, a town in western Kenya, for reportedly attacking Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat on social media.
Days later, he was reported dead in police custody. Authorities first stated that Ojwang died as a result of head injuries caused by striking a cell wall.
The day prior, Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja apologised for implying that Ojwang committed suicide.
What William Ruto said
Additionally, the president of the country, William Ruto, broke his 72-hour silence on the issue after outrage over the educator's death shifted towards him.
'I fully expect that the truth about what happened to Ojwang will be established in due course, and that justice will be served,' Ruto said.
'Like most Kenyans, and especially as a parent, I received the news of the death of Albert Ojwang while in police custody with utter shock and deep dismay.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Marines Arrive in Los Angeles as City Braces for ‘No Kings' Protests
As cities across the nation brace for 'No Kings' protests on June 14, Donald Trump deployed 700 Marines to Los Angeles, with 200 troops arriving Friday to guard the Wilshire Federal Building — the latest provocation in the president's militarized answer to immigration enforcement and protest policing. Marines have already carried out the first known detainment in the city. Reuters obtained photographs of armed Marines temporarily detaining a civilian. The U.S. military confirmed the incident, which took place at the Wilshire Federal Building, to the outlet. The New York Times reported that the individual said he was an Army veteran and tried to reach the Veteran's Affairs office located past caution tape. The man said he was undisturbed by his brief detention. Earlier this week, the commander overseeing military operations in the city said that military personnel can only temporarily detain people but cannot make arrests. The move to have Marines involved in local police work tests the boundaries of the Posse Comitatus Act, which broadly prohibits the military from engaging in domestic law enforcement. The pictures have surfaced a day after a federal judge attempted to place a restraining order on Trump's move to federalize 4,000 California National Guard Troops. (That injunction has since been stayed by an appeals court.) The judge did not address the role of Marines under Trump's command, writing that he would await a court date to weigh evidence as to whether these federal forces were engaging in police-like behavior including 'interrogating, detaining, or searching civilians.' Trump has long dreamed of using military force to counter his domestic opposition. On June 6, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeted warehouses, clothing manufacturers, and Home Depot parking lots across Los Angeles, prompting a wave of local protests. Trump seized the opportunity to exert control over the state, deploying 2,000 National Guard troops into the city despite protests from both California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass. The president has since mobilized as many as 4,000 members of the California National Guard along with the 700 Marines to deploy in Los Angeles. On Thursday, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was dragged out of a Department of Homeland Security press conference, forced to the ground, and handcuffed by members of the FBI after attempting to ask DHS Secretary Kristi Noem a question. Padilla later said in a press conference that he was 'there peacefully' and was hoping to get answers from the administration about their immigration policies. 'I began to ask a question,' the senator recalled. 'I was forced to the ground, and I was handcuffed,' he said, clarifying: 'I was not arrested. I was not detained.' Padilla then addressed reporters: 'If this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question you can only imagine what they're doing do farmers … and day laborers.' Millions are expected to protest President Trump's military parade on his birthday (which is also Flag Day and the 250th anniversary of the Army). The president has planned for a procession of tanks, Howitzers, mobile rocket launchers, and other war machines to roll through the streets of Washington, D.C., as military aircraft, including Apache helicopters, fly overhead. Protest organizers have called June 14 a 'nationwide day of defiance.' The protest website reads: 'They've defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services. The corruption has gone too. far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings.' Trump has threatened demonstrators planning to show up at his military spectacle, declaring, 'If any protester wants to come out, they will be met with very big force.'More from Rolling Stone Trump's Military Crackdown Is Starting To Dent His Poll Numbers Kim Gordon Has Words for Donald Trump on Re-Recorded 'Bye Bye 25!' Trump Calls on Iran to Agree to Nuclear Deal 'Before There Is Nothing Left' Best of Rolling Stone The Useful Idiots New Guide to the Most Stoned Moments of the 2020 Presidential Campaign Anatomy of a Fake News Scandal The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Gary man gets 70 years for killing marijuana dealer
A Gary man got 70 years Friday for killing a marijuana dealer. Tyrone Reno, 34, was convicted last month of murder in the Nov. 15, 2021, death of Quintez Johnson, 31, plus a gun enhancement. He faced up to 85 years. Johnson's two kids, aged 8 and 6, were in the apartment when he was shot. At trial, jurors viewed footage of an unmasked man running down a stairwell just after Johnson's death. They returned a guilty verdict after 15 minutes. Reno has said he is innocent and plans to appeal, his lawyer Natalie Williams said in court Friday, asking for a 45-year sentence. During lengthy remarks, Deputy Prosecutor Milana Petersen said Reno killed Johnson over cash and a 'little bit of weed.' She ultimately asked for 75 years. Johnson's mother, emotional on the stand, said her grandson still wouldn't eat spaghetti because it was the last dinner he ate with his dad. She expressed empathy for Reno's family. My son would have helped you, she told Reno. 'I just want to know why,' she said. 'He would have done anything you asked.' Earlier in the hearing, Petersen questioned Detective James Nielsen on videos from Reno's Facebook account. They showed him holding guns, money with rap music playing, or smoking. Williams objected throughout – saying they were posted in 2022 or later. His Facebook account was deactivated around the time of Johnson's death, she said. The lawyer argued there was no proof he was in a gang, a point Judge Salvador Vasquez agreed. Posting videos on Facebook with guns, money or rap music was not proof he lived a violent life. It was a false conjecture, she argued. Gary Police responded that day to an apartment building on the 1300 block of W. 5th Avenue for a homicide. Detectives found a trail of marijuana up the stairs to an open Pringles inside a third-floor apartment. Johnson was lying on the sofa. He had been shot twice in the head. There were no signs of struggle. Security cameras showed a Black man — later identified as Reno — arriving at Johnson's apartment, then fleeing about three minutes later. He had a handgun and a backpack with marijuana. Police believe Johnson was shot around 2 p.m. While a patrolman was writing a report at the Gary Police Station, 555 Polk St., a man who matched the one seen on the video walked by him and a colleague. He was wearing the same clothes, including a Black hoodie with white lining and brown tag. The other officer approached him. Reno gave his name, but he wasn't arrested, since the man in the video wasn't identified yet. Police learned Johnson started selling marijuana a month earlier to help pay his bills. Reno was arrested two years later. Investigators used 'facial recognition software' to help match security footage outside the Gary Police station to the man seen on camera at Johnson's apartment, court filings show. That left some questions on the software's accuracy. State lawmakers recently passed legislation to tighten standards for witness identification on photo lineups. It requires police to tell witnesses a suspect might not be in the lineup, cutting pressure to pick a photo; 'filler' photos – the non-suspects — have to look as close to a suspect as possible, and a witness' 'confidence' will have to be recorded. It also requires police to corroborate an identification by facial recognition software with other evidence. The law goes into effect July 1. mcolias@
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Israel, Iran launch more barrages as Israel aims to wipe out Tehran's nuclear program
By Alexander Cornwell, Parisa Hafezi and Steve Holland TEL AVIV/DUBAI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Iran and Israel targeted each other with airstrikes early on Saturday after Israel launched its biggest-ever offensive against its longtime foe in a bid to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. Air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, the country's two largest cities before dawn, sending residents rushing into shelters. The military said its air defence systems were operating, seeking to intercept Iranian missiles. "In the last hour, dozens of missiles have been launched at the state of Israel from Iran, some of which were intercepted," the Israeli military said. It said rescue teams were operating at a number of locations across the country where fallen projectiles were reported, without commenting on casualties. Several explosions were heard in the Iranian capital Tehran, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. Israeli media said a suspected missile came down in Tel Aviv, and a Reuters witness heard a loud boom in Jerusalem. It was unclear whether Iranian strikes or Israeli defensive measures were behind the activity. Iran's Fars news agency said Tehran launched a third wave of airstrikes on Saturday after two salvos on Friday night. Those were in response to Israel's attacks on Iran early on Friday against commanders, nuclear scientists, military targets and nuclear sites. Israel's ambulance service said 34 people were injured on Friday night in the Tel Aviv area, most with minor injuries. Police later said one person had died. The U.S. military helped shoot down Iranian missiles headed for Israel on Friday, two U.S. officials said. Israel's military said Iran fired fewer than 100 missiles on Friday and that most were intercepted or fell short. Several buildings in and around Tel Aviv were hit. The Israeli strikes on Iran throughout the day and the Iranian retaliation raised fears of a broader regional conflagration, although Iran's allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been decimated by Israel. TRUMP SAYS: NOT TOO LATE Iran's state news agency IRNA said Tehran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel after Israel blasted Iran's huge Natanz underground nuclear site and killed its top military commanders. Iran says its nuclear programme is only for peaceful purposes. Israeli officials said it may be some time before the extent of damage at Natanz was clear. Western countries have long accused Iran of refining uranium there to levels suitable for a bomb rather than civilian use. The above-ground pilot enrichment plant at Natanz has been destroyed, U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council on Friday. He said the U.N. was still gathering information about Israeli attacks on two other facilities, the Fordow fuel enrichment plant and at Isfahan. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Israel of starting a war. A senior Iranian official said nowhere in Israel would be safe and revenge would be painful. Iran's U.N. envoy Amir Saeid Iravani said 78 people, including senior military officials, were killed in Israel's strikes on Iran and more than 320 people were wounded, most of them civilians. He accused the U.S. of being complicit in the attacks and said it shared full responsibility for the consequences. Israel's U.N. envoy Danny Danon said intelligence had confirmed that within days Iran would have produced enough fissile material for multiple bombs. He called Israel's operation "an act of national preservation." Iran has long insisted its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only. The U.N. nuclear watchdog concluded this week that it was in violation of its obligations under the global non-proliferation treaty. U.S. President Donald Trump said it was not too late for Tehran to halt the Israeli bombing campaign by reaching a deal on its nuclear programme. Tehran had been engaged in talks with the Trump administration on a deal to curb its nuclear programme to replace one that Trump abandoned in 2018. Tehran rejected the last U.S. offer.
