06-07-2025
He Was Killed in Police Custody. Kenyans Are Not About to Let It Go.
At first, there were only small groups of mourners milling about as a few dozen men hacked away at the hardened earth.
But there were signs of what was to come. The meat from at least 10 slaughtered bulls — enough to feed an army — sizzled over open fires. Enormous tents had been erected over a nearby field, with rows of seating beneath.
Then, as the sun climbed and the men crawled out of the grave they had dug, the crowds arrived en masse. Thousands poured into the rural Kenyan village. Some had pinned a man's portrait to their blouses. Others wore matching shirts emblazoned with a slogan: 'Rest in Power, Albert.'
The immense turnout for the funeral of Albert Ojwang, a Kenyan blogger who died in police custody last month, was the latest indication of roiling discontent in Kenya over what many there view as a corrupt and unaccountable system of law enforcement. Mr. Ojwang's death thrust the country's brutal policing tactics into the spotlight and fueled a wave of anti-government protests that exploded across the nation, leading to the deaths of more than 16 people.
At the funeral in Kakoth Village, held a short walk from Mr. Ojwang's family home, religious leaders, politicians and activists spoke for hours from a raised stage under a winter sun. The crowd joined in singing hymns, and energetic speakers roused young men and women in chants.
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