Security enhanced in Rachuonyo, Homabay ahead of Ojwang’s burial
Top security bosses from Nyanza Regional office in Kisumu are in Rachuonyo, Homabay County ahead of planned burial event of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang.
The team is on the ground to ensure security before and after Ojwang is buried.
More police are on the ground for the mission of ensuring safety.
Ojwang was killed at the Nairobi Central police cells on June 7 after his arrest in Homabay. He is set to be buried at his rural home on July 4 amid tension and fears of chaos.
A mob attacked and burnt Mawego police station on Thursday afternoon as the body of Ojwang arrived in the village.
Hours later Regional Security Committee led by Nyanza Regional Commissioner Florence Mworia accompanied by the Regional Police Commander Gisiri Nyamohanga visited the scene.
They were also accompanied by the regional Independent Policing Oversight Authority officials.
Mworia ordered for thorough investigations into the attack.
It emerged that the group of mourners commandeered the hearse to the police station and were later joined by a group of students from a local polytechnic.
The crowd surged and turned unruly prompting police to lob teargas canisters in vain.
They later walked into and out of the station carrying the casket as another group remained behind ransacking the station.
They set the Officer Commanding Station’s office and the report office on fire flattening it.
Some stole the flag posts, the police and national flags together with the station signage as they escaped the scene amid teargas canisters.
Police living near there said their houses were looted. No injuries were reported and the armoury was found to be safe, police said.
Following the incident, Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police Eliud Lagat stepped aside on June 16, pending the outcome of investigations into the death of Ojwang.
He was the complainant in a case of false publication and police had arrested Ojwang over a post he made on the same.
In a statement, Lagat said he was stepping aside in the “good and conscious thought” of his responsibilities as Deputy Inspector General, to allow for independent investigations by IPOA.
So far, at least six persons have been charged with the murder of Ojwang, among them Central Police OCS Samson Talam and Police Constable James Mukhwana.
Talaam, Mukhwana, Peter Kimani, John Ginge Gitau, Gin Ammitou Abwao, and Brian Mwaniki Njue jointly murdered Ojwang on the night of June 7th and 8th, 2025, at Central Police Station in Nairobi.