A sombre engulfed Ridgeways Baptist Church along Kiambu Road yesterday, as family and friends gathered to mourn Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody.
Only a few politicians joined the family and friends at the requiem mass, including former Attorney General Justin Muturi and Mumias East MP Peter Salasya.
His mother, Eucabeth Ojwang, emotionally recalled the last moments she saw her son alive.
“Policemen came for him just as I had served lunch,” she said. “I asked him what he had done, and he said he didn’t know. That was the last time I saw my son. The next day, he was gone.”
“You deserved peace and protection, not this. I will forever remember your laughter, strength and love," she said in a moving tribute.
Albert’s father, Meshack Ojwang, said no parent should ever have to bury his child.
“I raised you with hope and pride and watched you grow into a strong, kind man. Your life was taken unfairly. Justice must be done. For now, I lay you to rest with a broken heart and a silent prayer. You will never be forgotten.”
His wife, Nevnina Onyango, with whom he had a son, George Miles, also known as Albert Junior shared the dreams they had built together since meeting in 2021.
“We had plans. The way you left us is unbearable, but I hold on to our love, our memories and our son, the piece of you that lives on,” she said.
Onyango promised to raise their son with strength and ensure he knows how loving and devoted his father was.
“You always checked on us. You loved music—Mama Camara and Nyar Jaduong' by Prince Indah were your love letters to me. Every time I hear them, I hear you,” she said.
Former AG Justin Muturi, who attended the memorial, revealed that his own son had also been abducted by police while he was still in office and justice remains elusive.
“Even I, with the privilege of office, couldn’t protect my child. What of Albert’s mother? What of many others who will never get a national platform to be heard?” he asked.
He lamented that the country’s values, as enshrined in the national anthem, are not reflected in its treatment of citizens.
“We sing ‘Justice be our shield and defender’, but do we mean those words or is it just ritual?”
Muturi decried the wave of police brutality, particularly against youth exercising their constitutional rights.
“We must end this cycle. We say we are a democracy, but treat questioning minds as criminals.”
He announced the formation of a People’s Restorative Justice Commission, grounded in African values, to confront the culture of impunity.
“We must say never again. Never again should we bury our young people because they dared to speak out.”
"Albert may be gone, but the call for justice lives on."
Mumias East MP Peter Salasya also condemned the circumstances under which Ojwang’s died and vowed to oppose a proposed bill on restricting demonstrations.
“I will be the first to oppose Esther Passaris’ bill. It goes against the Constitution. Kenyans have the right to protest.”
Instant analysis
Albert Ojwang died in police custody under unclear circumstances. He was fan of Manchester united. He had deep love for music, especially the works of Prince Indah whose songs like Mama Camara and Nyar Jaduong' carried special meaning in his relationship with his wife. He was a dedicated teacher of Christian religious education and History and government. He taught at several schools including Sabaki mixed secondary school, Kituma school and Moi boys where he served as Rugby coach.
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